Increase in Ireland’s corncrake population

THE battle to save the endangered corncrake from extinction received a major boost last year with the first increase in numbers since 2005.

According to a new Department of the Environment report, the numbers of corncrakes last year increased by five to 133.

This was the first rise since 2005 when 162 were recorded. This was followed by a steady decline between 2005 and 2009, when numbers decreased by 41 in the three core areas.