Ireland’s wild mammal literature: A Review

D. Paddy Sleeman 1*, Barry O’Neill 2, Liam Lysaght 2, Patrick

Smiddy 3, and Declan Looney 4 1School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College, Cork, Ireland

2National Biodiversity Data Centre, Beechfield House, Carriganore, Waterford Institute of Technology West Campus, Waterford, Ireland.

3Ballykenneally, Ballymacoda, County Cork, Ireland. 4Biodiversity Unit, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Klondyke Building, Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, BT7

2JA, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Irelands fauna

• Few species notably no snakes

• A review is possible as Irish Wild Mammals a guide to the literature 4th edition exists

• Cut outs :Topics we intend to cover are: endemic mammals, overall populations, applied genetic work, electronic tracking, are adding knowledge ‘gaps’ and perhaps gender of authors/ first authors ?

• Assume peer review from 1966 for papers, as we are aware that peer reviewing was applied patchily in the last century and was not like it is now universal. Perhaps call more open refereeing ?

Put all contributions on wild mammals into historical timeline since 1800 -2016 by decade

Put in historical context First Troubles 1916-1922, Second Troubles 1968-1998

References 1. COLLINS, J.D., ELLIS, W., FEORE, M., MULCAHY, M.F., NEIL, S., SHERIDAN, M., SLEEMAN, D.P., HUGHES, S and ROGERS, M., (1994) The feasibility of developing a vaccine against tuberculosis for use in badgers (Meles meles) Report of a steering committee. Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Department of Agriculture, Dublin. (The Green Book).

FAIRLEY, J.S., ( 1981) Irish whales and whaling. Blackstaff Press, Belfast

FAIRLEY, J.S. (1989) A contribution to knowledge of Ireland’s wild mammals. D.Sc Queens University, Belfast

FAIRLEY, J.S. (2001) A Basket of Weasels. Privately Published, Belfast

2. LOXTON, K., (2017) Wild about Nature Otters. Cork Nature Network, Castletownroche

3. LYSAGHT, L., and MARNELL, F., (2016) Atlas of Mammals in Ireland, 2010-2015. National Biodiversity Data Centre, Waterford.

ROCHE, N., AUGHNEY, T., MARNELL, F., and LUNDY, M., (2014) Irish bats in the 21st Century. Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, Bat Conservation Ireland

SLEEMAN, D.P., CARLSSON, J., & CARLSSON, J.E.L., (2014) Mind the Gap II. New Insights into the Irish postglacial. Irish Naturalists’ Journal

4. SMIDDY, P., and SLEEMAN, D.P. (2016) Irish Wild Mammals A Guide to the Literature (4ed) Privately Published, Cork

WILSON, J., with BERROW, S., (2014) A Guide to the identification of whales of Ireland. Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Kilrush. Third Edition

Watch this space and thank you for listening

Now out of print Not out of print