Celebrating a red squirrel champion

  Dr Peter Garson, Chair of the Gatehouse Squirrel Group, has been recognised as this year’s Species Champion in the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Trustees’ Awards for Volunteering. Giuliana Sinclair, Community Engagement Officer for South West Scotland discusses how this award not only celebrates Peter’s immense dedication and drive but also stands as an inspiration to volunteers and communities across Scotland… […]

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Reviewing the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation

  What would the full recovery of Scotland’s red squirrel population look like? This is the question being tackled by the Scottish Squirrel Group, a multi-disciplinary group convened by NatureScot and made up of key Government agencies, land owners and managers, volunteer groups, researchers and academics, and environmental NGOs in order to revise the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation… […]

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Partners & Funders

Our Partners & Funders Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust in partnership with NatureScot, Scottish Forestry, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates, Forestry and Land Scotland, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, and Aberdeen City Council. The project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, along with project… […]

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News: Record participation in national squirrel survey

  A record number of squirrel sightings were reported by the public during September’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey. 2,100 people – three times the number who took part in the first national survey in 2019 – logged over 3,000 sightings of red and grey squirrels, creating a Scotland-wide snapshot and providing valuable data for conservationists.   The Great Scottish Squirrel… […]

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Squirrelpox: Staying ahead of the spread

  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… […]

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News: First death of red squirrel from squirrelpox virus confirmed north of Scotland’s Central Belt

  The first identified death of a red squirrel from squirrelpox virus north of Scotland’s Central Belt has been confirmed on the outskirts of Dunfermline, Fife. This news could have serious consequences for the area’s red squirrel populations, and people living in the region are urged to remain vigilant. The case was confirmed via post-mortem examination of a red squirrel… […]

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North East Volunteer Spotlight: Celebrating our volunteer Janice Drew as she moves on to pastures new!

  As one of our dedicated volunteers lays down her tools we talk to Dr Emma Sheehy, Eradication Scientific Lead for our north east project region, about why volunteers make such a difference to the work she and her team are undertaking, and we hear from Janice about what she got up to and loved most about volunteering with SSRS…. […]

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News: Over £1M in new funding awarded to aid red squirrel recovery in Scotland

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 funds will support the… […]

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Get Involved

Get involved Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels has been working hard since 2009 to ensure red squirrels continue to have a home in Scotland. Our efforts are making a difference — in many of our project areas red squirrels are already beginning to make a comeback. However, there’s still a lot to do. With the help of our volunteers, we are… […]

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This Year's Sightings