News and Blogs

  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 only squirrels found in Scotland, and the rest of the UK, were our native reds. Then, in 1876, Victorians brought grey squirrels to Cheshire in England, to decorate parks. Naturally spreading from there and with further releases, including across the south of Scotland, grey squirrels rapidly took over, wiping out red squirrels as they went through competition and by carrying the deadly squirrelpox virus. By the mid-20th Century, greys had completely replaced reds in the central belt, and travelled up Scotland all the way to the Highland Boundary Fault, which runs from Helensburgh to Stonehaven. This natural feature helps prevent greys from spreading across the geological boundary. In 1971 grey squirrels were brought to a zoo in Aberdeen and, during their first night in the city, escaped. When SSRS was formed in 2009, greys had spread throughout Aberdeen and the surrounding areas, using the rivers Dee and Don as corridors. There were almost no red squirrels left. Aberdeen was designated as a priority area for the project. The “island” population of grey squirrels here wasn’t connected to other populations in Scotland, so if we were able to remove th ...

    Only one grey squirrel has been caught in Aberdeen so far in 2025, and red squirrel sightings are on the up!   Conservation efforts are proving effective in Aberdeen City and the surrounding area, with numbers of grey squirrels falling significantly in recent years. Only one grey squirrel was caught in the first six months of 2025, and just a handful of other grey sightings have been reported.   Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS), a partnership project led by Scottish Wildlife Trust, has been working in Aberdeen since 2009 to remove the isolated, or ‘island’ population of grey squirrels from the North East.   Grey squirrels first arrived in Aberdeen in 1971 and pose a threat to the native red squirrels as they are larger, more robust and less picky about food, so they outcompete reds. Some grey squirrels also carry a virus called squirrelpox, which doesn’t affect them but is fatal to red squirrels. By 2009, greys had spread up both the Dee and Don rivers and almost completely replaced reds in Aberdeen. Removing grey squirrels creates safe areas for red squirrels to survive.   SSRS has been working with support from Aberdeen City Council, volunteers and residents across the city to remove the invasive grey squirrels. Thanks to the efforts of the project, red squirrels are now being seen all across the North East, and have returned to many gardens in the city.   In 2024, a total of six grey squir ...

    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 always been my passion, I love finding and sharing those facts about wildlife that make you go “Wow!!!”. I’m based in Inverness, and feel very lucky to often see red squirrels when I’m out and about. Outwith work, I co-lead the Inverness Chapter of the Feminist Bird Club, organising monthly events which make getting outdoors more accessible and welcoming for everyone. email - mmartin@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk             Sam Hopkins – Programme Support Officer    I began my environmental journey in Seattle, where I studied Environmental Science and Resource Management. It was through this that I got hands-on experience with data collection, restoration, and field work. When I moved to Prague to become an English teacher, I spent my free time working with community growing projects and sustainable engagement groups. I then spent four months travelling around Peru and Colombia, volunteering with permaculture farms, rewilding projects, and nature sanctuaries. After this experience, I made my way to Glasgow where I began workin ...

After escaping a zoo enclosure in 1971, a small number of grey squirrels quickly gained a foothold in Aberdeen. Since 2009, SSRS has worked with local partners to reduce grey squirrel population density and distribution in the north east. Our work to date has been very successful, and we are now aiming to completely eradicate grey squirrels from the north east of Scotland. In this blog, we hear from James, our Eradication Operations Lead in the North East of Scotland. James and our North East team are working hard to contain and eradicate the last few small pockets of grey squirrels in the Aberdeen area. What is the main focus of your role? I lead of the practical eradication effort in Aberdeen, which is a very varied role! It incorporates a good mix of both practical conservation work, analysing hair samples as well as data entry. What does a typical day look like for you?  Red squirrel hairs viewed under a microscope. © Katie Berry My working week starts with collecting hair samples from various sites across Aberdeen. The hair samples are collected on our Rapid Response Monitoring Feeder boxes. We have hundreds of these feeders throughout Aberdeen city which are monitored by either staff or by volunteers. The hair samples are collected and then analysed through a microscope to determine whether red squirrels, grey squirrels or other species have visited the feeders. These results are then entered into an online database so that the results from all ou ...

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 INNS is the grey squirrel. But just why are grey squirrels a threat to our native reds? Red squirrels Red squirrels are the only native squirrel species in the UK. It's now believed that there are around 220,000 remaining in Scotland, around 75% of the UK's population. Red squirrels give birth to 1-2 litters a year each with around 3-5 kits. They don't hibernate during winter, instead spending more time sleeping and less time foraging. Grey squirrels Grey squirrels are originally native to the USA and Canada and were first introduced to Britain in Victorian times, to decorate the gardens of large stately homes. They soon expanded their range, progressively replacing red squirrel populations in most of England and Wales, and many parts of Scotland. Grey squirrels are bigger than our native reds at between 550-650g (nearly double the 270-300g of red squirrels). Why are grey squirrels a threat to red squirrels? The greatest threat to the red squirrel’s future in Scotland is the invasive non-native grey squirrel. Larger and more robust, grey squirrels out-compete red squirrels for food and living space. This makes it diffi ...

In this guest blog we hear from Sam Mitchell from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS). Sam is part of the fantastic team working with SSRS to support red squirrel conservation across Scotland. Red squirrels are undoubtedly one of the UK’s most iconic and beloved species, being firmly linked in our collective consciousness to our remaining wild spaces. Despite this, there are many people throughout the country who have never seen a red squirrel due to the catastrophic declines they have suffered since non-native grey squirrels were introduced to the UK beginning in the 1890s; red squirrels are currently listed as an endangered species in the UK, and without conservation action are at risk of being driven to extinction. Around 80% of the UK’s remaining red squirrels are found in Scotland, where the continued spread of grey squirrels remains a threat. As part of the RZSS’s mission to reverse the decline of 50 species by 2030, and in particular to help save an iconic British species, we have been supporting the essential conservation work carried out by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS). Red squirrels have made a return to gardens and green spaces across Aberdeen © Gordon Milne Collaboration for successful conservation Wildlife conservation is a hugely collaborative endeavour, bringing together the skill and experience of conservation researchers and field-based practitioners and volunteers, as well as requiring the buy-in and support of local c ...

We recently welcomed a new Eradication Coordinator to our North East team to lead on the intensive surveying and monitoring work to remove the island population of grey squirrels in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas.   Stephany Arroyo Arce, North East Eradication Coordinator "For the past ten years I've been immersed in the fascinating world of wild cat conservation in Costa Rica. One of my favourite things has been studying the predator-prey interactions between jaguars and five species of sea turtles that nest in Costa Rica. I've also had an amazing time working as a scat detection dog handler with my four-legged buddy "Tigre". Together we've had many adventures, mostly in Costa Rica, but also in Patagonia and Guatemala, where we've contributed to one of the most thorough genetic surveys of jaguars in Mesoamerica. My MSc in Wildlife Management and Conservation has allowed me to work with evidence-based organisations, using scientific data to promote the coexistence of local communities and wildlife, and informing local authorities of the actions needed to ensure the long-term survival of wild cats and their habitats. By joining the Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels team as the North East Eradication Coordinator, I'm looking forward to bringing my experience to this new role and helping to protect Scotland's adorable red squirrels!" Contact: sarroyoarce@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk Our team continue to work hard across the North East region as well as the r ...

  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 be reported? Our latest FAQ blog answers some of our frequently asked squirrel sightings questions, shedding more light on this incredible conservation tool! How does submitting a squirrel sighting help red squirrel conservation? SSRS has been collecting public squirrel sightings since 2010. This data is not only crucial in helping us understand how grey and red squirrel distributions are changing over time across the country, it also helps our team and local volunteers take direct conservation action on the ground to protect endangered red squirrels and ensure they continue to be part of Scotland’s special native wildlife. Where should I report red and grey squirrel sightings? You can report all sightings via our website. This page will take you to a short form with space to enter key information about your sighting such as species, date, habitat type, location etc. This is very easy to do and should just take a few minutes, but if you have any issues please email us on squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk. Why are red squirrels under threat in Scotland? Red squirrel populations have seriously declined throu ...

Following two reports by members of the public of lethargic and sick looking red squirrels in/near Mine Wood in Bridge of Allan, Scottish Wildlife Trust partnership project Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is asking people living in the area to be vigilant and take key preventative actions. Gail Turney, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) Programme Manager, Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “We are concerned regarding this latest news and are extremely grateful to those members of the public who have brought it to our attention. We don’t know for certain what these squirrels may be suffering from as red squirrels can be affected by a number of illnesses especially during the winter, but as a precaution we are now asking all those living in Bridge of Allan to take immediate action and protect the local red population by taking in all wildlife feeders for the next month to help prevent any possible spread of disease. “We are also asking the local community to keep a close eye out for, and take photos of, any sick or dead red squirrels in the area and email these over to us at squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk.” Squirrelpox is a virus carried by grey squirrels which does not affect them but can be rapidly lethal when passed to red squirrels. Symptoms include ulcers, scabs and weeping lesions on the face, paws and genitalia, all of which can prevent reds from eating, drinking or moving. As a result, it is usually fatal within two weeks and an outbreak can ...

With the colder weather covering much of Scotland these last couple of weeks, the crisp air, the flurries of snow, and the loss of the autumnal-coloured leaves lets us know that winter is well on its way! And for our red squirrels, somewhat surprisingly, winter isn’t a season to completely rest. Find out more in the last of our 2024 seasonal red squirrel blogs: Preparing for Winter As per our previous blog on red squirrel behaviours in autumn, red squirrels have spent much of the last few months foraging and caching mushrooms, acorns and seeds – creating a stockpile of food to see them through the colder months ahead. Without this key preparation months in advance, squirrels could succumb to the effects of exposure and starvation. Snowy Foraging (c) Steve Gardner Red squirrels will still sometimes be out foraging around the forest floor in winter, retrieving their precious stores and caching whatever foods they can find – so do still keep an eye out! A Cosy Drey Hideaway Red squirrels don't hibernate, but do retreat to their cosy dreys more frequently in the colder weather. These are built high up in the tree canopy and made of twigs, moss, lichen and fur. Their intricate creation means they are incredibly well insulated, allowing red squirrels to rest, and be warm and protected from the freezing temperatures. If you are struggling to spot a red squirrel throughout winter, chances are they are comfy and cosy in their dreys, keeping warm and just sleeping a ...