Burren Fauna Specialities

Though the Burren would not be known for its fauna, the region certainly has more than it’s fair share of unusual and interesting faunal species. Examples would include the slow worm (Anguis fragilis), a snake like legless lizard. As well as the common lizard, another species, the green lizard (Lacera viridis) has been spotted here, linked to a 1958 release of fifteen such lizards in the area.

Two butterfly species are more or less limited to this area - the pearl bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne) and the brown hairstreak (Therla betulae). One moth species, the Burren green (Calamia trideus) has its only station in the British Isles here. Over seventy species of land snails have been recorded in the area, thanks in no small part to the abundance of shell-building calcium carbonate. The yellow ant (Lasius flavus) is also widespread in the Burren. This thermophilous species favours shallow soils on limestone to build its nests, and has been used to identify ‘old-field’ grassland communities.

Among the region’s significant bird population are  several pairs of nesting peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus), as well as large numbers of overwintering wildfowl found in turlough areas. Another very interesting member of the Burren’s faunal community is the pine marten (Martes martes). The Burren is commonly considered to be the Irish stronghold of this once-threatened species due to the ample and extensive habitat provided by hazel scrub, a situation not welcomed by many farmers who consider the 'marten cat' a leading predator of young lambs.

One particularly striking, almost symbolic, aspect of the Burren’s fauna are the numerous herds of feral goats (Capra hircus) that roam freely across the uplands, estimated to number over one thousand individuals. Recent studies suggest that these herds are unique in Europe, in terms of both their extent and their population ecology.