A new centre to conserve Irish species has opened at Dublin Zoo.
The National Centre for Species Survival will gather data to identify which Irish species are at risk and prepare conservation and recovery plans for those which are red-listed.
It is one of 18 species survival centres across the world and is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature network.
Dublin Zoo will also work with Irish conservation partners including Bat Rehabilitation Ireland and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council.
Director of Dublin Zoo Dr Christoph Schwitzer said "Dublin Zoo has for many years been supporting conservation projects both internationally and here in Ireland."
He gave examples of how the zoo had been working with the Peatland Conservation Council to protect the highly threatened marsh fritillary butterfly which is now found at just a few sites in Ireland and with Birdwatch Ireland on a project for barn owls.
Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan was at the zoo to launch the centre and said, "As we see the significant decline in species, 60% of species lost over the last 40 years, zoos are becoming increasingly important and are at the frontline of nature conservation, so managing and trying to save individual species as we work to restore nature over time, I think that needs to be the way forward."
He said the National Parks and Wildlife Service has a long-standing collaboration with Dublin Zoo in trying to save species.
Mr Noonan added that working with landowners was vital.
"We have many species on the red list and I think it's important that the resources we've been putting in through Government over the last number of years, through the National Parks and Wildlife Service to work in collaboration with landowners, to work in collaboration with other partners like the zoo, is I think an important way forward," he said.
Coordinator at the National Species Survival Centre Dr Andrew Mooney told RTÉ News: "I think in Ireland, the threatened species, that we often associate with wildlife are things are like elephants and rhinos, but at home here in Ireland species look much smaller, so things like the marsh fritillary butterfly."
Other threatened species in Ireland cited by Mr Noonan included wading birds, the corncrake and the natterjack toad.
One native Irish species that has been making a comeback from declining the numbers is the pine marten.
Planting of more native Irish trees has seen its numbers recover and this has also been good news for the native red squirrel, because the red squirrel has been outcompeted in many areas by the invasive grey squirrel introduced from North America.
The pine marten is a predator of the grey and this has helped red squirrel numbers to start recovering in some areas.
Dr Schwitzer said: "Unfortunately we've got rid of some of the predators here in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe as well, so that sometimes allows invasive species to increase in numbers dramatically."
However when asked about a possible reintroduction of one keystone predator, the wolf, to Ireland he said: "Those people who live in the rural areas where wolves would roam, especially farmers keeping livestock, need to be onboard with whole thing.
"I'm not saying it's impossible, but it is something that really needs a lot of consideration, a lot of discussion with stakeholders."
So for the foreseeable future, anyone who wants to see wolves in Ireland needs to visit them at Dublin Zoo.
