As we approach The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey 2025, we’re sharing our top tips for how to spot red squirrels. Find the right location The first step is to make sure you’re in squirrel-friendly habitat. Red squirrels can live in coniferous or broadleaf woodland, and they like areas with a mixture of trees […]
Picture this: you’re in Scotland, you’re out for a walk, you spot a squirrel and report it to our sightings page (thank you!). But now what happens? Today we’re going behind the scenes of what happens to all the squirrel sightings you record. Raymond Leinster It only takes a few seconds to […]
You may be experiencing some problems with the map feature on our sightings page, or have noticed some changes to the way it looks. Don’t panic, you can still submit your sightings as normal, and this is a temporary issue. Previously, our maps were powered by Bing maps, which has now been discontinued […]
It’s halfway through 2025 and we’re celebrating our red squirrel conservation work in Aberdeen. The history of red and grey squirrels in the North East is a slightly different one to the rest of the country. Let’s take a look at the story so far… Up until just over 100 years ago, the […]
We have a few new additions to our scurry here at Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels! Meet the new staff here: Molly Martin – Communications and Engagement Officer I’ve worked in communications for conservation organisations in Scotland since 2019, after graduating university with a degree in ecology. Connecting people with nature has […]
A non-native species is a species that has been introduced to an area where it doesn’t naturally occur. Most of these are harmless but some threaten native species. These are called invasive non-native species (INNS). INNS have been identified as one of the top causes of global biodiversity loss. In Scotland, one of the most prominent […]
Public squirrel sightings are an invaluable resource for SSRS staff and volunteers, and submitting a sighting is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to crucial citizen science efforts and aid in the fight to save Scotland’s red squirrels. But why are squirrel sightings so important, what exactly does the map show, and how should sightings […]
As the warmth and brightness of summer give way to the colourful leaves and shorter days of autumn, the Scottish red squirrel is at their most active on the forest floor – caching food for the colder months ahead. The behaviour of red squirrels in autumn offers a window into the natural rhythm of the […]
Summer is a wonderful time to appreciate Scotland’s charismatic red squirrels! From summer coats, to unusual foods, to well-deserved afternoon siestas. Read on below for our guide to their behaviours during this (sometimes!) sunny season for you to observe and enjoy! Ear Tufts & Summer Coats The fur of red squirrels can vary from almost […]
In April, the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies confirmed the first death of a red squirrel from the squirrelpox virus north of Scotland’s Central Belt, having conducted tests on a dead squirrel found near Dunfermline in Fife. Squirrelpox is a virus carried by grey squirrels which, whilst not affecting them, […]
