Measures to protect the habitats of the otter and the Kerry slug have been announced by Minister for the Environment John Gormley.
Two "species action plans" published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NWPS) will help secure the future of the otter, one of the most threatened mammals in Ireland, and the unusual slug species found only in parts of southern Ireland and in Spain.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley
The otter species, lutra lutra, has declined by about 18 per cent in the last 25 years, mainly due to poor water quality, the loss of riverside habitats and roadkill. Internationally, the otter is classified as a "near threatened" species.
Some 29 different protection measures are outlined in the new plan, including the provision of artificial breeding sites and the review of agri-environment schemes.
Mr Gormley said the new plan recognises that "significant progress" has been made in recent years to eliminate water pollution from industrial and domestic sources and that progress is also under way within the agricultural and forestry sectors.
"The otter is a rare animal across much of Europe, and while Ireland may still be considered as a stronghold for the species we cannot afford to sit on our laurels," he said.
A separate plan aims to protect the Kerry slug, Geomalacus maculosus, first discovered beside Caragh Lake in 1842 and described as a species new to science in 1843. It is a protected species under the EU Habitats Directive.
The same species was then found in northern Spain in 1868 and in northern Portugal in 1873.
Unlike many other slug species, the Kerry slug is not a pest species and is associated with wild habitats away from the influence of man, according to the NPWS.
"The Kerry slug is not one of our most glamorous species," Mr Gormley said. "But biodiversity is not just about glamorous species. My Department is committed to protecting all species of conservation concern."
The NPWS has previously published species action plans for the natterjack toad, the hare, the corncrake, Irish lady's tresses orchid and the pollan - a rare fish found only in Ireland. Further plans for bats, the Killarney fern and the red squirrel will be published shortly.