Over £1m in new funding has been announced to aid red squirrel conservation efforts in key areas across Scotland for the next two years. A total grant of £1,052,796 has been awarded by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, which supports the restoration of wildlife and habitats across the country. The new […]
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News: Public squirrel sightings soar in 2023
Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels has released the results of its fifth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey, revealing that 2023 public participation was the second highest since its inception, beating all previous years, bar the record-breaking pandemic lockdown year of 2020. According to the survey, which was conducted between the 2nd and 8th of October […]
Speaking up for Red Squirrels in the Consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity
The Scottish Government recently launched a consultation on tackling the nature emergency and are seeking public feedback by 14 December. This is one of the biggest proposals for high level policy changes ever seen in Scotland, and responding is an action open to everyone which could make a fundamental difference to the future of […]
Squirrel Sightings: an inside look
Republished from 09/17/2021 by Victoria Chanin The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey 2022 is right around the corner, and now in its fourth year, we are very excited to see this year’s results! For those who haven’t participated before, the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is a week-long event in the autumn during National Red Squirrel […]
Can red squirrels weather the storm?
Stormy weather has hit Scotland hard in recent weeks, causing severe hardship to many and devastation to some of our native and commercial woodlands. While the safety of our staff and volunteers is always our top priority, it’s not surprising that many people have been in touch with us to ask “how are the […]
Studying the life of the urban red squirrel
Kat Fingland joined SSRS in May 2021 as the new Conservation Officer for South West Scotland. Prior to starting the role, she has spent the past five years researching the red squirrels of Formby, Merseyside, for her PhD at Nottingham Trent University, studying how red squirrels have adapted to live alongside people in urban […]
News: Help stop the spread of grey squirrels in the Mearns
Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is appealing for help to stop the spread of grey squirrels into the Mearns region of Aberdeenshire. Recently a number of grey squirrels have been found north of the River North Esk in areas including Marykirk, St Cyrus and Benholm. Without urgent action, local red squirrel populations in the […]
Coronavirus: Update for SSRS volunteers
Following the First Minister’s announcement of Phase 1 of the Route Map easing coronavirus restrictions, in which it was stated that priority outdoor work that has been put on hold could resume from Friday 29th May, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has been working on guidance that will allow priority outdoor activities to restart. […]
An Autumn Overview of Tree ID
The seasons have changed and our walkways are now covered with leaves of orange, yellow, red and brown. Autumn is one of the best times to get playful with tree identification while there is so much to pick up and investigate. What colours and shapes can you see? Are there fruits and nuts on the […]
News: Red letter day – Plean’s first red squirrel entered home through letterbox
The first recorded red squirrel in Plean near Stirling in many years was spotted in the most unlikely of places – a local resident’s living room. William Higgins was surprised to find the animal frantically scrambling around his home last month. He said: “I was in the kitchen when I thought I heard […]