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Outdoor Trails

Discover the great outdoors on Ireland's best walking trails

<p>Rhossi, the Kemp's ridley turtle found washed up on Rhosneigr Beach in Wales in December 2023. At the time Anglesey Sea Zoo noted that "We are increasing Rhossi’s temperature very gradually and monitoring 24/7 round-the-clock every 1-2 hours during this period."</p>

outdoors

Rare turtle stranded due to Donald Trump aid freeze

Executive orders signed in the White House means international marine turtle conservation work is on hold for now, leaving Rhossi stranded on this side of the Atlantic. Kemp's ridley turtles are critically endangered — it is believed that only about 7,000 females exist

<p>Most glitter waste eventually makes its way into seawater due to its small size, lightweight nature, and widespread use, making it difficult to capture in waste management systems.</p>

outdoors

Glitter — the sparkly environmental menace

<p>One of Fotawildlife Parks Rothschild's giraffe in front of the new Panoramic Wheel. Picture: Darragh Kane.</p>

outdoors

Fota Wildlife Park just unveiled a new panoramic wheel — here's what you need to know

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S outdoors

Dire distress flag signal — will environmental publicity stunt be heeded?

Two,Eurasian,Magpies,,Pica,Pica,,On,Moss,Covered,Branch,In

outdoors

Birds of Ireland: Magpie

Soak it up! How Ireland’s cities can embrace the sponge revolution

outdoors

Soak it up! How Ireland’s cities can embrace the sponge revolution

Picking up dog poop

outdoors

Parks and playgrounds are a hotspot for dangerous dog parasite

Daddy long legs mosquito swarm in England

outdoors

Insect population collapse and why it matters now

Noise pollution near schools has serious effects

outdoors

Noise pollution near schools has serious effects

A pussy-willow flowering in the early spring. The close-up of shrub blossoms against the blurry background.

Anja Murray: Nature helps us stay grounded in challenging times

In the past week, I’ve felt especially overwhelmed by world events. And once again, I’ve had to relearn that one of the most powerful antidotes to managing distressing feelings is spending time in nature

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

Physically and legally protecting native Irish fish

Physically and legally protecting native Irish fish

For more than 100 years Lough Corrib's brown trout numbers have been supplemented through the work of local anglers. This is an extract from Kevin Prunty's book, Incubating the Trout, which is based on the oldest hatchery in the world

Mon, 24 Mar, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Oystercatcher

Birds of Ireland: Oystercatcher

If you can spot a large group of waders 'wheeling' over an estuary it can be a great sight

Sun, 23 Mar, 2025

Blue Headed Wrasse ore Bluehead Wrasse, thalassoma bifasciatum

Some like it fluid: The animal kingdom's wildest sex changes

So, what’s the deal with animals swapping sexes? Why do they do it and what can we learn from it? Let’s take a closer look at some of nature’s most interesting identity changes...

Fri, 21 Mar, 2025

Rare black wolves — could they be wolf-dog mixes?

Rare black wolves — could they be wolf-dog mixes?

Camera traps in a forest have caught video of two all-black wolves. Now scientists are investigating where they might have come from.

Thu, 20 Mar, 2025

Urban Fox

Anja Murray: Urban fox cubs a reassuring phenomenon that wild species can adapt to human sprawl

Lots of people feel affection for their neighbourhood foxes and actively encourage and feed them

Wed, 19 Mar, 2025

Unlocking the potential of seaweed farming as a nature-positive sector

Unlocking the potential of seaweed farming as a nature-positive sector

An Irish Seaweed Association has been set up to providing a voice for ocean farmers — and with more than 7,500km of coastline, Ireland is uniquely positioned to become a leader in regenerative ocean farming say 'blue economy experts

Sun, 16 Mar, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Lapwing

Birds of Ireland: Lapwing

Did you know that the lapwing was declared Ireland's national bird back in 1990?

Sun, 16 Mar, 2025

Rob Roy Glacier in New Zealand

Nature strives for balance: A rare glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak environmental outlook

How climate change is creating new peatlands in a New Zealand mountain

Fri, 14 Mar, 2025

Narwhal couple, two Monodon monoceros swimming together in the ocean (3d rendering)

How drones are helping in elusive 'unicorn' research

The underwater behaviour of the secretive narwhal has been almost impossible to study until now — but drone technology means we can now see what they are up to and what they are really doing with those tusks

Thu, 13 Mar, 2025

Solar Eclipse 2024: Friends and family

Sky Matters: Two eclipses this month — how to see the blood moon lunar eclipse on Friday

There will be a lunar eclipse in the early hours of March 14 and a solar eclipse on March 29

Thu, 13 Mar, 2025

Spotted a fox on your town's streets? Let the urban fox survey know

Spotted a fox on your town's streets? Let the urban fox survey know

Link below — red foxes are a prime example of a species learning to adapt to these rapidly changing environments. The study will focus on Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Limerick, Derry, Galway, and Waterford

Thu, 13 Mar, 2025

Spraying weeds in the garden

It's not too late to avoid a litany of missed opportunities to look after wildlife habitats

Poisoning weeds, ripping out hedges, and planting 'pretty' but ecologically useless non-native flowers and shrubs make for neat and tidy parks and gardens that harm bees, frogs, fish, and wild birds

Wed, 12 Mar, 2025

Dunlin feeding on the shore

Birds of Ireland: Dunlin

A dunlin is about the size of a starling and both sexes are similar — they have a relatively long, thin, slightly downcurved dark beak and relatively long dark legs.

Mon, 10 Mar, 2025

Learning from an awe-inspiring immense ecosystem that has returned to life

S Learning from an awe-inspiring immense ecosystem that has returned to life

Rewilding ecologist and author Eoghan Daltun visited Costa Rica to see first-hand how the country has managed over the last 30 years to reverse one of the worst deforestation rates in all Latin America, becoming a global leader in nature conservation and restoration

Sun, 09 Mar, 2025

President Higgins leads tributes after death of Matt Murphy, founder of Sherkin Island Marine Station

President Higgins leads tributes after death of Matt Murphy, founder of Sherkin Island Marine Station

Sherkin Island Marine Station was founded in 1975 by Matt Murphy and his late wife, Eileen and was run by Matt and his family until 2015

Fri, 07 Mar, 2025

Group of crows on the roof of a building

Why are crows so noisy in early spring?

Some scientists even believe crows have regional dialects, meaning the ones in Dublin might sound slightly different from their Cork cousins

Fri, 07 Mar, 2025

COMMON EIDER somateria mollissima, EGGS IN NEST, SCOTLAND

Richard Collins: Nesting eider ducks will pay farmers 'rent'

The eider, twice as heavy as a mallard, is Europe’s biggest duck. On leaving the nest, the female covers her eggs in down plucked from her breast. The grey fluffy material is a ‘gold standard’ insulator. It traps the bird’s heat better than does the domestic goose down we stuff into pillows

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

Obsolete and out of date technology

Donal Hickey: Got a junk drawer like this? Time to get repairing or recycling...

We all pay the price for broken and obsolete electronics

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

New pond created in Kerry for endangered natterjack toads

New pond created in Kerry for endangered natterjack toads

Natterjacks usually spawn in April and it takes about 60 days then for toadlets to emerge

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

Anja Murray: Spring migration is tough enough — here's how we can help

Anja Murray: Spring migration is tough enough — here's how we can help

And volunteers are needed now for The Countryside Bird Survey... the data collected is how we track the changes in populations of our common and widespread birds over time

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Beaver at sea observing nature

Meet the planet’s most effective engineers (no planning permission required)

From the tiniest worms to charismatic beavers, the ability of nature’s engineers to modify landscapes, regulate water flows, and enhance biodiversity provides invaluable lessons for humans as we grapple with climate change and habitat destruction

Fri, 28 Feb, 2025

In pictures: four-day-old orphaned fox cub arrives at Kildare Wildlife Rescue

In pictures: four-day-old orphaned fox cub arrives at Kildare Wildlife Rescue

The arrival of a four-day-old orphaned fox cub at Kildare Wildlife Rescue marks the start of spring and what is known as 'orphan season' at the rescue centre

Thu, 27 Feb, 2025

Richard Collins: No animals eligible for Oscars even if they are the real stars

Richard Collins: No animals eligible for Oscars even if they are the real stars

New research finds that whale song has a human language-like structure

Thu, 27 Feb, 2025

Donal Hickey: Sewage pollution and the pearl mussel

Donal Hickey: Sewage pollution and the pearl mussel

Once widespread, they are now found in very few catchments. Ireland is believed to have almost half of Europe’s pearl mussel population, with the Blackwater catchment accounting for a sizeable portion of that

Thu, 27 Feb, 2025

Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)

Anja Murray: Shy — and red-listed — woodcock still on legal hunting list

In 2023, the Government reviewed which birds can legally hunted in Ireland and when. The review resulted in four species of duck being removed from the quarry list — birds that can be shot during open season. Many expected that woodcock would also be removed from this list because of its red-listed conservation status, but not so

Wed, 26 Feb, 2025

A planetary alignment, or a planetary parade. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Elements of this image

Five tips for spotting the planetary parade set to brighten the night sky this week

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn are anticipated to be at their most visible (weather permitting) between sunset and 6.30pm on Friday, February 28

Wed, 26 Feb, 2025

503921,The Americas

Tom Hanks showcases wild wonders of the Americas in new nature series

Now, if you ask Tom Hanks [about the toughest shoot], he’d say filming army ants in the Amazon, because they want to bite you

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Redshank

Birds of Ireland: Redshank

Usually seen on estuaries and wetland, redshanks are very noisy when disturbed

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Wicklow Mountains Park really could be great again with some careful planning and management

S Wicklow Mountains Park really could be great again with some careful planning and management

We should seize the opportunity to create a greatly expanded National Park using Coillte and other public lands where rewilding and nature restoration could be undertaken at an impressive scale, says ecologist Pádraic Fogarty

Sun, 23 Feb, 2025

Pipistrelle Bat

Do bats hold the secrets to fighting future pandemics?

Bats’ status as the only truly flying mammals might mean they also have another ‘superpower’ — invincibility to most viruses

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Tiger population increase

Richard Collins: How has India turned the fortunes of its tigers around?

A paper just published claims that tigers are staging a comeback in India

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Bee on a dandelion with grass in the background

Donal Hickey: Welcome dandelions instead of banishing them

These early wild flowers are a vital source of food for pollinators emerging from hibernation

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Anja Murray: Rewilding makes space for nature to thrive

Anja Murray: Rewilding makes space for nature to thrive

All across the country, families, farmers and communities are embarking on their own adventures with rewilding

Wed, 19 Feb, 2025

Linnet In Habitat

Birds of Ireland: Linnet

A linnet's flight call is squeaky — like a wet cork rubbed against glass

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Hike the Tipperary hill country where an Irish 'Robin Hood' once roamed

S Hike the Tipperary hill country where an Irish 'Robin Hood' once roamed

Éamonn an Chnoic, commemorated in song by the Wolfe Tones and The Pogues, met a grisly end when it is believed a relative decapitated him with an axe to try claim a bounty

Sun, 16 Feb, 2025

African bush elephant mating in Tarangire National Park

Pheromones or love in the air? Attraction in the animal kingdom

While body odour and even tears may influence behaviour, love is far more complex than a whiff of sweat or a drops of tears

Fri, 14 Feb, 2025

Crock and roll: Old mugs and plates donated to create giant mosaic

Crock and roll: Old mugs and plates donated to create giant mosaic

Everything from damaged dishes to tedious tea-sets or chipped cups or magnificent mugs will all feature in a massive piece of wall-art planned for Waterford

Thu, 13 Feb, 2025

Richard Collins: Cultural loss in chimp groups — and the role of humans

Richard Collins: Cultural loss in chimp groups — and the role of humans

Humans have caused the loss of the only male chimpanzee in one social group — and as a result at least one traditional courting gesture has disappeared

Thu, 13 Feb, 2025

Donal Hickey: Wearable air quality monitors to alert people of exposure to hazardous gases

Donal Hickey: Wearable air quality monitors to alert people of exposure to hazardous gases

The sensor technology has been developed by a team of researchers from University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin

Thu, 13 Feb, 2025

Anja Murray: Irish species at risk of extinction

Anja Murray: Irish species at risk of extinction

Ireland has already lost many species, especially as a result of rapid deforestation in the 1600 and 1700s, and persecution of top predators such as wolves and eagles

Wed, 12 Feb, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Grey Heron

Birds of Ireland: Grey Heron

The sounds of grey herons at nest during day and at night are like a fairy-tale monster or someone getting sick!

Mon, 10 Feb, 2025

Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx)

Living with lynx — the potential reintroduction of carnivores such as lynx to these islands

The idea of coming face to face with a wolf or lynx on walks through Irish forests and hills fills me with wonder and anticipation says environmental social scientist Jonny Hanson

Sun, 09 Feb, 2025

Red paper cutout car on stacks of gold coins on green background. Illustration of the concept of increasing car prices, surging

Why sustainability in Ireland demands more than goodwill

In the race against climate change, an approach that leaves behind those who can’t afford the starting fee is bound to fail, not only ethically but practically

Fri, 07 Feb, 2025

Donal Hickey: Forestry re-think badly needed — could a €20k forestry scholarship help?

Donal Hickey: Forestry re-think badly needed — could a €20k forestry scholarship help?

A Coillte Forestry Scholarship will award students up to €20,000 for the duration of their degree programme (€5,000 per year) to support with fees and living expenses

Thu, 06 Feb, 2025

Richard Collins: Young puffins dangerously attracted to artificial light

Richard Collins: Young puffins dangerously attracted to artificial light

The little pufflings are more likely to go astray and get stranded when there is light pollution — the lucky ones are gathered up by Icelandic children who return them to the sea

Thu, 06 Feb, 2025