# Endangered Species

This year

2023

Ireland fares worst at managing protected nature sites in new EU report

A report by

Niall Sargent

Out of 10 countries, Ireland underperformed in every measure aimed at protecting at-risk species such as the curlew and corncrake.

Report examined the effectiveness of measures to protect vulnerable species in Special Protection Areas (SPAs)

No Irish case had targeted, measurable and time-bound conservation measures to deliver the favourable status of species

"Incomplete and/or irregular” monitoring of many species also found

11.9k

Feb 2nd 2023, 12:05 AM

Last year

2022

# cheetah cubs

Rare Asiatic cheetah cubs born in captivity in Iran

There are just a dozen cheetahs known to be living in Iran.

20.5k

May 1st 2022, 1:45 PM

All time

# Sumatran orangutan

Endangered orangutan gives birth to healthy infant in New Orleans zoo

Fewer than 14,000 Sumatran orangutans live in the wild.

21.9k

Dec 28th 2021, 3:50 PM

# Endangered Species

Rare hen harrier numbers plummet as plan to protect species pushed back

Only 18 pairs of the rare raptor species reared chicks this year in areas designated to protect it – the most unproductive year on record.

25.7k

Dec 26th 2021, 8:30 AM

# Endangered Species

Commission raps Ireland for 'persistently failing' to manage protected nature sites

Just over 60% of our 600-plus legally protected nature areas have conservation objectives.

26.6k

Sep 21st 2021, 7:05 AM

# Endangered Species

The Explainer x Noteworthy: What can be done to halt the decline of our precious biodiversity?

Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent tells Susan Daly how the race is on to save iconic species like the puffin and curlew – and even save ourselves.

Sep 3rd 2021, 3:44 PM

# Biodiversity

Funding failure: Most of Ireland's biodiversity spend goes on schemes that have little impact

Ireland’s overall spending on biodiversity protection is also under internationally-accepted levels.

14.2k

Aug 28th 2021, 9:15 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

Loss of Ireland's biodiversity is accelerating - and we're missing the chance to halt it

A report by

Niall Sargent

Noteworthy reveals virtually no protected sites have management plans and Ireland is moving further away from a target for effective nature conservation.

A host of iconic Irish species and habitats are under threat, writes Niall Sargent in first part of Noteworthy's investigation into biodiversity loss

Virtually none of our protected nature areas have management plans

An expert forum has labelled the State as the “biggest transgressor of environmental law in Ireland”

25.8k

Aug 27th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Endangered Species

Irish man jailed in US for trafficking rhino horns

Richard Sheridan, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

19.0k

Oct 2nd 2019, 10:44 AM

# Endangered Species

There's an outbreak of crayfish plague in a Kilkenny river

Crayfish plague has been detected in eight other Irish rivers in the past four years.

26.7k

Aug 16th 2019, 1:55 PM

# Endangered Species

Number of angel sharks in Irish waters have declined by almost 95%

A global refuge for angel shark remains in the Canary Islands.

17.5k

May 3rd 2019, 10:57 PM

# Tiger Cubs

First Amur tiger cubs born at Dublin Zoo in 20 years to go on view this weekend

The zoo is inviting the public to suggest names for the cubs.

14.2k

Jan 24th 2019, 3:08 PM

# Borneo

Endangered pygmy elephant shot dead in Malaysia 'out of revenge for destroying crops'

At least 18 pygmy elephants have been killed in the region since April.

11.4k

Jul 26th 2018, 11:07 AM

# Endangered Species

Thai police arrest Asian wildlife trafficking 'kingpin' caught smuggling €800k of rhino horns

He was caught smuggling 14 rhino horns from Africa to Thailand.

10.6k

Jan 20th 2018, 10:56 AM

# red kite

Endangered bird found dead with gunshot wounds in Co Down

Conservationists are calling it a “deliberate” attack.

21.1k

Aug 22nd 2017, 10:15 PM

# going going gone

Humans are hunting 300 mammal species to the brink of extinction for meat, says new global report

The Earth’s species are dying out at more than 1,000 times the usual rate.

10.3k

Oct 19th 2016, 12:08 PM

# Dublin rhino

Rhino from an under-threat species is born at Dublin Zoo

There were as little as 50 southern white rhinoceroses left in the wild in the early 1900s – now there are as many as 20,000.

13.7k

Aug 29th 2016, 3:48 PM

# tipping the scales

PHOTOS: London Zoo is doing its annual weigh-in

It helps zookeepers monitor the animals’ health and well-being.

15.1k

Aug 25th 2016, 6:09 PM

# carnivores

New study shows tigers, lions and other carnivores becoming endangered as prey dwindles

A quarter of the main land carnivores’ prey are now threatened themselves.

8.3k

Aug 7th 2016, 11:15 AM

# Tiger's tale

Chinese medicines are packed with endangered animal DNA

“Dried geckos are used as an aphrodisiac; monkey skeletons are used to treat general pain”.

9.1k

Feb 6th 2016, 8:30 AM

# patrick sheridan

Irish man jailed in Texas for trafficking endangered rhino horns

Patrick Sheridan, from Rathkeale Co Limerick, illegally bought and sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of rhino horns.

23.4k

Jan 14th 2016, 9:10 PM

# Endangered Species

London man sentenced for having bestiality images and selling monkey heads on eBay

George Bush posted 141 endangered animal specimens for sale online.

17.9k

Jan 13th 2016, 9:53 PM

# sister sister

This gorilla checking out her baby sister proves that all new siblings are the same

No matter the species.

21.3k

Mar 2nd 2015, 8:30 PM

# Breeding

Zoos rethink role as matchmaker for endangered species

Genetic databases, ultrasounds and frozen sperm – expensive, complicated… and it doesn’t always work.

11.4k

Sep 1st 2013, 6:30 PM

# Endangered

US wildlife agency to list all chimpanzees as endangered

The move, hailed by primatologists, would afford all chimpanzees protected status and affect their use in medical research.

4.8k

Jun 12th 2013, 9:30 PM

# long gone

10 animals that were hunted to extinction

It has emerged that the Tasmanian tiger – the last of which died in 1936 – was wiped out by human actions rather than an unknown disease.

26.4k

Feb 10th 2013, 9:15 AM

# sharks

MEPs vote to close loopholes in shark finning ban

The passing of this vote means that all sharks caught by EU vessels have to be landed intact.

4.9k

Nov 22nd 2012, 6:10 PM

# Feed the birds

Russian officials feed pelicans as ocean freezes over

Authorities are buying hundreds of kilos of fish a day for a colony of birds which has taken up residence at a seaport.

2.1k

Feb 21st 2012, 2:15 PM

# Zoo Babies

In photos: Dublin Zoo's new eastern bongo

Prepare for a strong dose of cute…

5.4k

Feb 16th 2012, 5:30 PM

# Endangered Species

Picture of the day: China's retired NBA star Yao Ming... and a panda

What’s not to love about this giant of the hardwood giggling with a bear in his lap?

665

Jan 12th 2012, 4:02 PM

# Endangered Species

Iberian lynx 'not doomed' despite tiny population size

The Iberian lynx one of the world’s most endangered big cats, however new research shows the species has had very little genetic diversity for thousands of years.

1.0k

Aug 22nd 2011, 11:41 AM