Picture: Lyndsey Casserly
Louth County Council’s Biodiversity Office is asking members of the public to help record sightings of the Common Frog across County Louth.
By gathering small pieces of information from many people, valuable datasets can be created that help scientists understand the environment, track changes over time and support better decision making for nature and biodiversity.
To help build a clearer picture of how frogs are faring locally, Louth County Council is working in partnership with the Irish Peatlands Conservation Council. Since 1997, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council has coordinated Ireland’s longest running frog survey, the Hop To It frog survey. This citizen science initiative invites people to record and submit observations of the different stages of the Common Frog lifecycle.
Although easily recognised, the Common Frog is Ireland’s only frog species and, despite its name, is listed as a vulnerable species across Europe. To help protect populations, it is legally protected under the European Union Habitats Directive and the Irish Wildlife Act.
The Common Frog is also considered a biological indicator of environmental health. Its smooth, moist skin is highly sensitive to pollution, and the presence or absence of frogs can reveal important information about water quality, habitat loss and overall environmental conditions.
Annual monitoring of frog populations across Ireland supports national conservation efforts, helps protect wetland habitats and improves understanding of local environmental quality.
In 2025, only two frog records were submitted from County Louth. With so little local data available, it is unclear whether Common Frog populations are declining in the county. As a result, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council and Louth County Council Biodiversity Office are encouraging people to become citizen scientists and take part in this year’s Hop To It survey.
Louth County Council Biodiversity Officer Helen Hanratty said:
Public reporting of sightings of species like the Common Frog can really help to build a clearer picture of the status and trends of individual species but also track wider biodiversity trends at a local and national level. Citizen science initiatives like the Hop to It survey are valuable ways for people to contribute to important datasets which can be used to guide environmental management decisions.
Anyone who observes any stage of the Common Frog lifecycle, including frog spawn, tadpoles, froglets, or adult frogs, in their garden or local area is encouraged to submit their observation to the Irish Peatland Conservation Council at www.ipcc.ie, by email to bogs@ipcc.ie, or by calling 045 860133.
