Curraghs (Isle of Man)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Curraghs (also: Ballaugh Curraghs , Manx : "willow swamp") are a wetland in Ballaugh Parish in the northwest of the Isle of Man . The area has a species-rich ecosystem and also houses the Curraghs Wildlife Park , a zoo with Nature Reserve .

history

During the Ice Age the area was covered by glaciers. As the glaciers retreated, a depression was left at the base of the Northern Hills that turned into the wetland. For a long time pasture farming was practiced because no crops could be grown on the waterlogged soils. Nevertheless, the Curraghs provided important raw materials for the residents of the surrounding villages, especially Kirk Michael : peat was extracted as fuel.

The swamp area was heavily drained by the peat extraction. When the peat cut was abandoned, the ditches and peat cuttings filled up again with water and new moors arose . In the 1930s, attempts were made by the Manx government to introduce new agricultural products, most notably New Zealand flax (Phormium sp.). After those attempts failed, in the 1950s the government pushed for the curraghs to be drained to enable intensive farming. However, as the area is only 15 m above sea level , there was no inexpensive drainage option.

In 1963 most of the area was placed under the House of Keys and two years later the Curraghs Wildlife Park was opened. In 1990 the maintenance was given to the Manx National Heritage and in 2006 193 hectares of the curragh were declared a Ramsar site .

Ecosystem

fauna

The area is an important winter habitat for hen harriers . Other inhabitants are the peregrine falcon , merlin , robin , fitis , song thrush and dunnock . There is also a special subspecies of the wren .

The wetland is also known for its butterflies. In the Curraghs Wildlife Park , a Butterfly Walk was set up. A notable representative is the aurora butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines - orange tip).

There are also in Ballaugh Curragh a wild colony of wallabies that are derived from animals that have escaped from the zoo several years ago.

flora

The Curraghs form a mosaic of bush land, ponds and marshes with willow and myrtle inventories directly. Peat mosses (Sphagnum moss) are bog-forming. Six types of orchid have been identified, including spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata - heath spotted orchid).

See also

The Gaelic term "curragh" occurs often, for example in Ireland:

and as part of the name of more than 20 townlands in Ireland.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ BBC - Isle of Man - Nature of Britain - What would the Island be without the Curraghs? .
  2. ^ Joint Nature Conservation Committee (2006) Information Sheet on Ramsar wetlands, [www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/RIS/UK21001.pdf] April 8, 2009.
  3. ^ APB Harby: An Assessment of the Ballaugh Curragh Wallaby Population. 2008.

Web links