News and Blogs

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is calling on the public to take part in the nationwide Great Scottish Squirrel Survey between 20-26 September (National Red Squirrel Week). Now in its third year, the survey is needed more than ever due to the impact of Covid-19. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which is working in priority areas across Scotland to protect red squirrels from the spread of the non-native grey squirrel. Gill Hatcher, SSRS Communications & Engagement Officer said: “We are asking everyone in Scotland to go out and enjoy the outdoors during Red Squirrel Week, look out for both red and grey squirrels and add your sightings to our online map at scottishsquirrels.org.uk.” 2020’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey was a record-breaking year, with 3160 squirrel sightings reported in just one week. Sightings help SSRS create a picture of the situation on the ground, and directly contribute to red squirrel conservation action. This year’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is all the more important because Covid-19 lockdown restrictions forced the cancellation of the project’s spring surveys in both 2020 and 2021. These annual systematic surveys, which used baited squirrel-hair sampling boxes at over 200 specific locations, provided robust distribution data for both red and grey squirrels that was invaluable for comparing the fortunes of squirrels from year-to-year. Project Manager ...

  Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is urging locals to be on high alert and report sightings of grey squirrels in Aberfeldy, following worrying reports in recent days. Known as a safe haven for red squirrels, grey squirrels are not typically seen in the Aberfeldy area. The main threat to the red squirrel’s future in Scotland is the spread of grey squirrels. A non-native invasive species, grey squirrels out-compete reds for food and living space and can also carry squirrelpox, a virus which doesn’t harm them but is fatal to red squirrels. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a National Lottery-funded partnership project, led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which is working in key areas across Scotland to reduce the spread of grey squirrels. In Tayside, the project is focused on what is known as the ‘Highland Line’ – a 10km-wide strip which runs from Montrose, through Kirriemuir, Dunkeld, Crieff and beyond to the west. Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts along the Highland Line, Aberfeldy and the surrounding area has typically been considered a safe haven for our native species. This changed in the summer and autumn of last year when there were at least three grey squirrel sightings near Crieff Road and ‘The Birks of Aberfeldy’. With support from the local community a grey squirrel was removed from nearby Pitlochry, but despite concerted efforts the Aberfeldy greys had not been spotted again until this month. Now two confirmed sightings ...

  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 environments.   Approximately two-thirds of the global population are predicted to be living in urban areas by 2050, altering the natural environment and presenting new challenges for our wildlife species. Historically, urban areas have been ignored as suitable wildlife habitats. However, there is increasing evidence that these environments can have plentiful resources and support a wide range of biodiversity, so there has been a growing interest in researching urban wildlife ecology in recent years. Although some species are negatively impacted by urban developments, others are able to adapt and even thrive in these new conditions; one such urban-adaptable species being the red squirrel. My PhD research aims to find out how red squirrels are able to live in urban environments, including how they exploit the available resources like supplemental food whilst avoiding or adapting to potential risks such as roads. I hope that the findings will contribute to the long-term conservation of this endangered native species, both in the study site and elsewhere in the UK. Data Collection Fieldwork took place during the summers of 2017 to 2 ...

  The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) is an important piece of UK-wide legislation that protects some of our most vulnerable species, including red squirrels. Under Schedule 5 of this law it is illegal to intentionally kill, harm or disturb a red squirrel; a vital asset in our efforts to save them.   A review being led by the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has proposed changes to the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) which could potentially remove this protection, and that of many other iconic yet threatened Scottish species, including pine martens. The proposed changes could mean that only those species “in imminent danger of extinction” would be afforded protection. Thanks to years of dedicated conservation efforts and public support, Scotland’s red squirrels are continuing to thrive north of the Highland Line, with healthy populations in many parts of the south of Scotland. Yet the position of the red squirrel in Scotland is still a precarious one— removing protections now could put everything we have worked for at risk. Pine martens, which are known to help boost red squirrel numbers, are only just beginning to recover following decades of persecution. If we wait until these species are on the brink of extinction, it may already be too late to save them. In response, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels lead partner the Scottish Wildlife Trust has co-signed an open letter to the JNCC, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales ...

  A series of digitally guided walking routes have been launched by the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project to help visitors and locals discover more about one of the country's most iconic yet threatened mammals.   Known for their red squirrel populations, the selected sites will provide an opportunity for a wild encounter whilst learning more about the species, their habitat and efforts to protect them. The ‘Red Squirrel Ramble’ trails guide walkers through ancient and historic woodlands, as well as scenic areas where red squirrels have made a recent comeback thanks to conservation efforts. Interactive walks are available at Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen, Atholl Estates’ Glen Tilt in Blair Atholl, RSPB Scotland’s Loch Lomond Reserve and the Woodland Trusts’ St. Ronans Wood in Innerleithen. They can be accessed on a mobile device through the ‘MyGeoAdventure’ app. Walkers will be guided step-by-step through their journey, prompted with quizzes, challenges and the opportunity to collect wildlife tokens. Funded by National Lottery players, the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project operates in areas where red squirrels are most at risk from the threat of invasive non-native grey squirrels. Project Manager Dr. Mel Tonkin said: “The walking trails are not only fantastic places to catch sight of a red squirrel in action, they are also located in the key project areas where we are working to ensure the ...

  Covid-19 has presented a number of challenges since the start of the year and we are delighted to announce that, with the easing of restrictions, we can now begin to welcome wider Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels volunteers back into the field in perfect time for National Volunteers' Week. We want to start by thanking everyone for their patience over the last year. We have been blown away by the enthusiasm and commitment that volunteers have shown throughout this difficult time. Creativity is one thing that certainly hasn’t been restricted, as we’ve witnessed Red Squirrel Network Groups adapt and rise to the challenge - from producing calendars for raising funds, to engaging with local schools and sharing educational activities online. Together, we’ve been able to continue raising awareness for red squirrel conservation in Scotland.   Following the latest Government guidelines, we have produced new advice on Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels volunteer activities which can now recommence in areas Level 2 and under, where restrictions on the number of people meeting outside or indoors can be met, and a Covid-19 Risk Assessment followed. Volunteers can now undertake operational survey work, which was previously suspended All face to face training activities can now recommence, including trail camera and operational survey training for volunteers In-person Volunteer Network Group meetings can now commence, adhering to Government guidelin ...

  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 Mearns are at risk. The highly invasive grey squirrel could also spread further into the Grampians and the Highlands, threatening Scotland’s largest populations of red squirrels. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is encouraging people to report sightings of both red and grey squirrels online. The project is also looking for volunteers in the area to support its vital conservation work. Sarah Woodfin, Monitoring Officer, North East Scotland for Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels said: “Grey squirrels moving north from Angus into Aberdeenshire are a serious threat to local red squirrels, as well as the core Scottish population in the Highlands. The recent reports from the Mearns are worrying and we need help to stop the spread of grey squirrels in the area. “Grey squirrels threaten red squirrels through competition for resources. Most worryingly they could also potentially bring the deadly squirrelpox virus, which isn’t currently present in Aberdeenshire, with them. This virus doesn’t harm grey squirrels but it is deadly for reds. It would be devastating for Scotland’s squirrels if squirrelpox is allowed to spread i ...

  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 efforts to remove the threat.   It has been observed throughout the UK that when grey squirrels move into an area, the local red squirrel population is gradually replaced due to competition for resources such as food and living space. Although grey squirrels occur in Dunkeld, this is generally the northern limit of their range in Perthshire. Sightings of greys reported by the public in both Pitlochry and Aberfeldy between July and September 2020 marked a worrying potential northward spread that could have serious consequences for Scotland’s core red squirrel populations if allowed to become established in these areas.   Pitlochry grey squirrel © J Jenner   Our awareness raising campaign calling on the public to report any grey squirrel sightings while out walking locally brought in further reports, and we were able to target close monitoring to a few specific sites. In February, we were able to confirm grey squirrel presence in Pitlochry and initiate grey squirrel control measures in early spring. Finally, we can report success in removing the first grey squirrel f ...

  Squirrelpox has posed a threat to native red squirrels in southern Scotland since the mid 2000s, and whilst targeted grey squirrel control efforts have been proven to slow the spread of the virus, they cannot prevent its spread - it is therefore important to be vigilant, informed and well prepared. Today we’re taking a look at how monitoring efforts in the Central Lowlands can help to detect the early presence of squirrelpox, and how you can be proactive in reducing its impact.   Squirrelpox was first confirmed in Scotland in 2005, having spread from northern England through non-native grey squirrels that are able to carry the virus unaffected. When spread to red squirrels however, the disease is deadly and is invariably fatal within two weeks. Just two years after the earliest evidence of the arrival of squirrelpox virus among the grey squirrel population of southern Scotland near Canonbie, red squirrels near Lockerbie succumbed to the first of several documented outbreaks of squirrelpox disease in the region’s red squirrels, ranging from Gatehouse-of-Fleet to Sanquhar, Moffat, Langholm, the Rule Valley near Hawick and the Tweed Valley near Peebles. Thanks to a protection network of dedicated staff, landowners, local groups and volunteers, red squirrels are not only still found in these areas, but are thriving in most of them. Fortunately, an outbreak has yet to be recorded in red squirrels in the Central Lowlands. If squirrelpox were to take hold ...

  Red squirrels have come on leaps and bounds on the Argaty Estate near Doune in Stirling. In today’s guest blog, Tom Bowser of Argaty Red Kites reflects on a journey of red squirrel recovery and some unforgettable milestone moments.   I can still remember my first childhood sighting of a red squirrel on Argaty. It was a summer’s day in the early 1990s, and I was riding my bike along the rutted, potholed track that serves as the main road through our family farm. Stopping for a drink of water I looked across the adjacent field when an unexpected movement caught my eye. Standing atop a nearby gatepost was a red squirrel. Tail twitching, eyes unblinking it stared at me and I stared back. We held each other’s gaze for several seconds before the tiny creature turned tail and fled, springing through the grass and disappearing into the woods beyond. I turned too and sped home to tell my parents what I’d just seen. I still treasure that memory. It was one of only two red squirrel sightings I had in eighteen years growing up on our Stirlingshire farm. By the time I left for university grey squirrels had all but taken over the woods in this part of Scotland. Those two reds, glimpsed fleetingly in those far-off days, may have been two of the last survivors in these parts. How different our world is now. Reds are back in force on Argaty. Today we run two squirrel photography hides and are in the process of building a third. I seldom go twenty-four hours with ...