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Beautiful but deadly alpine newt discovered in three Irish counties

Alpine newt could have ‘devastating effect’ on local ecosystems2 Alpine newt could have ‘devastating effect’ on local ecosystems
 

Scientists have found an invasive species of alpine newt in three counties in Ireland.

The amphibian has been found in five different locations in Co Offaly, Co Tipperary and Co Down.

The alpine newt has the potential to have a detrimental impact on local biodiversity by acting as competition to native species, and by transmitting a disease called chytrid to native amphibian species such as the common frog, smooth newt and natterjack toad.

Chytrid has driven many species of frogs to extinction in the tropics.

Zoologist Éinne Ó Cathasaigh, who works with the Herpetological Society of Ireland (HSI), said the alpine newt was most likely introduced here through the pet trade by someone keen to add colour to their garden pond. With gold irises and black pupils, it is one of the most striking species among European newts.

 

“They are very similar to our smooth newts but the defining difference is that they don’t have a spotted belly like our native species. Instead they have an unmarked orange stomach. They are really beautiful but they are also dangerous — and that’s the issue,” he said.

On the HSI’s discovery, he added: “We found them in a disused swimming pool. There were hundreds of them. In Offaly, we’ve already recorded around 30 this year. They are highly resilient to environmental conditions here and they reproduce very, very quickly.”

Describing the potential threat posed to the local environment if alpine newts harm local amphibians, he said: “Frogs, for example, are a keystone species. They have a huge impact on our
environment. They eat so many insects that we would be overrun without them.

“A huge amount of flies return to stagnant water to breed, and where do frogs also breed? Stagnant water. So they keep the number of flies low.”

The HSI is asking people to report any new sightings of alpine newts to the organisation. They normally live in still or slow-moving water that is clear and full of vegetation.

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Mr Ó Cathasaigh said the new discovery should should make people more conscious of invasive species, particularly their local area and gardens.

 

“It is the perfect example of why
we need to be a lot more careful of what we introduce. Realistically speaking, when people are building an artificial pond they should leave it, and nature will take care of it. Put a few plants
in and amphibians will come,” he
said.

 
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Edited by jigsaw
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10 minutes ago, jigsaw said:

Can someone cut the bloody adverts out ?

Alpine newt could have ‘devastating effect’ on local ecosystems

Scientists have found an invasive species of alpine newt in three counties in Ireland.

The amphibian has been found in five different locations in Co Offaly, Co Tipperary and Co Down.

The alpine newt has the potential to have a detrimental impact on local biodiversity by acting as competition to native species, and by transmitting a disease called chytrid to native amphibian species such as the common frog, smooth newt and natterjack toad.

Chytrid has driven many species of frogs to extinction in the tropics.

Zoologist Éinne Ó Cathasaigh, who works with the Herpetological Society of Ireland (HSI), said the alpine newt was most likely introduced here through the pet trade by someone keen to add colour to their garden pond. With gold irises and black pupils, it is one of the most striking species among European newts.

“They are very similar to our smooth newts but the defining difference is that they don’t have a spotted belly like our native species. Instead they have an unmarked orange stomach. They are really beautiful but they are also dangerous — and that’s the issue,” he said.

On the HSI’s discovery, he added: “We found them in a disused swimming pool. There were hundreds of them. In Offaly, we’ve already recorded around 30 this year. They are highly resilient to environmental conditions here and they reproduce very, very quickly.”

Describing the potential threat posed to the local environment if alpine newts harm local amphibians, he said: “Frogs, for example, are a keystone species. They have a huge impact on our
environment. They eat so many insects that we would be overrun without them.

“A huge amount of flies return to stagnant water to breed, and where do frogs also breed? Stagnant water. So they keep the number of flies low.”

The HSI is asking people to report any new sightings of alpine newts to the organisation. They normally live in still or slow-moving water that is clear and full of vegetation.

Mr Ó Cathasaigh said the new discovery should should make people more conscious of invasive species, particularly their local area and gardens.

“It is the perfect example of why we need to be a lot more careful of what we introduce. Realistically speaking, when people are building an artificial pond they should leave it, and nature will take care of it. Put a few plants in and amphibians will come,” he said.

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They're an interesting thing. I seem to recall them being found in tiny pools, somewhere up mountains or somewhere, in the highlands?

Point is, this was Not some local parks fish pond type scenario. Like, no one's Ever gonna say;

" Oh, I'm bored with these newts now. I'm gonna take them on a massive fukking hike, fukking miles up some mountain range. There to find some unmapped piss puddle of clear water, which has been there Forever. And, yeah, I'll chuck these boring fukkers in there. Because that's totally rational. "

Scientists are now feeling their chins and postulating, like; " Hang about. What if these fukkers have Always been there? Like, pre fukking ice age shit? I mean, subsistence hill sheep crofter types have never really been the sort to go digging around in mountain pools. Just to check shit against  Linnaeus. "

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Thing is they might have already been in UK but saying that I've caught a snapping turtle while fishing a carp lake "I thought my line wrapped around something "reeled it in and it was a fist sized snapping turtle " I was walking around another carp pond qnd see few baby snakes basking wrapped around branches over the water that had strange pattern for grass snakes and came across one curled up in tree roots and it was a asian rat snake about 6 feet long ,we tried catching it but it slipped into the water and made for other bank , a lot of lads fishing these ponds say they loads of snakes there and obviously someone as released a couple and they bred , they a lot of different animals "exotic pets" that get released that do well in UK climate .

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