…plastic turf? Then you’ll understand that it’s never been more important to create safe havens for wildlife in our urban and suburban environments. Fortunately, while some people continue to push out nature in favour of cars and convenience, others are making space in their lives for a bit of wildness. Thanks to increased awareness in recent years we’re leaving gaps… […]
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…home town, where it has now replaced the red squirrels). What I saw was an amazing acrobat, an intelligent trickster, a curious coward, and a cute fluffy critter which was perfectly balanced with its native habitat, just as the red squirrel is in much of Scotland and should be in the rest of the United Kingdom. The ancestor of all… […]
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…a piece of nature indoors with these fun filled squirrel themed activities. Get crafty with everyday materials from around your home, or explore your garden or local patch with a scavenger hunt challenge. Get started by selecting an activity type from the list below, following links for instructions, worksheets and printouts. Crafts Make your own squirrel Not been able… […]
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…red squirrels) spend most of their time high up in the trees, squirrels love to run along fallen trees and large branches because from this slightly elevated position they can search more easily for food on the ground while keeping an eye out for predators in the sky. A fallen tree that is used often by squirrels may have scratch… […]
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Regular readers of our blog will remember that last July we raised concerns about the security of Highland Perthshire’s native red squirrels following sightings reports from Pitlochry and Aberfeldy of their non-native cousin, the grey squirrel. Local people heard our appeals for help and we can now report on progress to date, including our first tangible success in our… […]
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…staggering 94% decline in native water vole populations? The American skunk-cabbage plant does actually smell as bad as a skunk…. White butterburr was imported as a garden ornamental from mainland Europe and SW Asia and escaped into the wild. What is an Invasive Species? There are around 2,000 non-native plants and animals in the UK, these non-native species… […]
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…vacated habitat is rapidly colonised by grey squirrels, and red squirrel populations are effectively prevented from recovering from the disease outbreak. A squirrelpox vaccine is currently in development but it could be many years before this is available in a practical and affordable form that could support large-scale red squirrel conservation. At this time, to protect Scotland’s red squirrels from… […]
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Ground-breaking research which aims to better understand how grey squirrels use the urban environment will take place in Aberdeen this year. The study is led by Dr Louise de Raad, Research Fellow at Inverness College UHI, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, in collaboration with the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project. Little… […]
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…Red Squirrels online Community Hub. Made possible thanks to National Lottery Players, the Community Hub is an online space where registered users can connect with both the project and other local squirrel enthusiasts. It’s also a tool to help people get more involved in red squirrel volunteering. Anyone can sign up and make an account, and there are different uses… […]
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…of greys from the Strathyre area of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Our data shows that if grey squirrel trapping is co-ordinated, systematic and sustained, it is possible to virtually eradicate grey squirrels from targeted areas. But the key word is sustained. If trapping is not maintained, re-invasions by grey squirrels will soon take the situation back to square one…. […]
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