Reports of suspected squirrelpox near Cardrona

…area to please remove wildlife feeders from your gardens in order to avoid spreading the disease to healthy red squirrels visiting the feeders. Squirrelpox is a virus carried by grey squirrels without causing them any harm. However, if spread to red squirrels the disease is deadly. Feeding stations can encourage both species to come into close contact and increase the… […]

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A red squirrel first for Luss Estate

  After years of carefully targeted grey squirrel control, we were excited to hear that a red squirrel has been spotted in Luss. It’s a sign that our native reds are beginning to make a comeback on Loch Lomond’s western shores. Luss Estate is a nationally important area for red squirrel conservation because it sits on the Highland Boundary Fault… […]

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Call for Scots to become a nation of squirrel spotters this Red Squirrel Week

where dedicated squirrel spotters can register and keep a personal record of their squirrel sightings. “The comprehensive mapping allows them to view their own squirrel conservation data as well as all of the project’s long-term data. It’s a great way for people to see how their efforts are contributing to changes over time. “It’s also a meeting point where volunteers… […]

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SSRS Knowledge Fair

SSRS Knowledge Fair: celebrating five years of developing community action   3-4 December 2021 As our ‘Developing Community Action’ phase comes to an end we will be celebrating all the project has achieved alongside our partners, volunteers, landowners and supporters. This virtual Knowledge Fair will also provide an opportunity to learn more about red squirrel conservation work happening across Scotland… […]

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New Conservation Officer calls for the public to help protect red squirrels in the Scottish Borders

…Reserve said: “We have a real opportunity to turn the tide and help conserve our red squirrels, but this is only possible with everyone’s involvement. There is a big task ahead of us and I am looking forward to working alongside the rest of the team in helping the red squirrel thrive in the Scottish Borders.” SSRS is a partnership… […]

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North East towns at the forefront of efforts to save Scotland’s red squirrels

…The grey squirrel is an invasive species that was introduced to Britain from North America. They out-compete red squirrels for food and living space and some also carry squirrelpox, a virus that doesn’t harm grey squirrels but is deadly to reds. Grey squirrels were first introduced to Aberdeen in the 1970s, rapidly spreading throughout the city and into surrounding Aberdeenshire,… […]

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News: Red letter day – Plean’s first red squirrel entered home through letterbox

…reds to recolonise. Mr Higgins added: “I’m just so happy to see a red squirrel in this area. I can’t say for sure how he got into my house, but only way I can think of is through the letter box.” People can report sightings of both red and grey squirrels on the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels website, scottishsquirrels.org.uk. The… […]

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Red squirrels and biosecurity

…characteristics of the smallpox and chickenpox viruses, it is not classified directly within the Parapoxvirus group – it is an outlier. Carried by American grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) without effect, squirrelpox is commonly found in greys from Ontario down to the Carolinas of Eastern North America. It is not known when squirrelpox came to UK but it was first confirmed… […]

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Join the Hub

Join the Hub Community action is the key to the long-term survival of Scotland’s red squirrels. The Hub is a space for our supporters and volunteers to keep up to date with the project and connect with like-minded people working to protect local red squirrel populations. Registered users can keep track of their squirrel sightings, and join a local red… […]

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North East Scotland

North East Scotland Eradicating grey squirrels and bringing red squirrels back to the parks and gardens of Aberdeen The grey squirrel population in Aberdeen city is considered an “island population” due to it’s geographic and genetic isolation from the rest of mainland Britain’s grey squirrel population. The species was introduced to Aberdeen city in what is believed to be a… […]

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This Year's Sightings