Louth public asked to ‘hop to it’ and log frog sightings for national survey
Louth County Council’s Biodiversity Office is calling on the public to help monitor the local frog population by reporting sightings of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) throughout the year.
The appeal is part of a broader citizen‑science effort to build stronger datasets on local wildlife.
With just two reports of frog sightings in Louth during 2025, the call-out is aimed at building small pieces of information from people across the county.
This vital data can help scientists and environmental officers track changes in biodiversity, understand habitat health, and make better‑informed decisions to protect nature.
In partnership with the Irish Peatlands Conservation Council (IPCC), the local authority is encouraging residents to take part in the long‑running “Hop To It” frog survey, Ireland’s oldest frog monitoring project.
Coordinated by the IPCC since 1997, the annual survey invites members of the public to report sightings of any stage of the frog’s lifecycle — from frogspawn and tadpoles to froglets and adult frogs.
Although well known and easily recognised, the Common Frog is Ireland’s only native frog species and is listed as vulnerable in Europe. It is protected under both the EU Habitats Directive and the Irish Wildlife Act.
Environmental scientists regard the Common Frog as a biological indicator — a species whose presence or absence offers insights into environmental health. Because frogs have smooth, permeable skin that is highly sensitive to pollution, their populations can reflect changes in water quality, habitat loss, and overall ecosystem condition.
However, local data remains sparse. With so few reports from Louth last year, it is unclear whether frog populations are stable, declining, or simply under‑reported.
Louth County Council Biodiversity Officer Helen Hanratty said the public’s involvement is crucial:
“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 help to contribute to important datasets which can be used to guide environmental management decisions.”
The Council and the IPCC are urging residents to become “citizen scientists” this year by sharing any observations from gardens, parks, farmland, or local green spaces.
Sightings of frogspawn, tadpoles, froglets, or adult frogs can be submitted online at www.ipcc.ie, by e‑mailing bogs@ipcc.ie, or by calling 045‑860133.