…squirrel, which was first introduced from North America by people in the late 1800s. Grey squirrels also carry squirrelpox, a virus that doesn’t harm them but is deadly to reds. With the help of partners, landowners and local volunteers, the project is monitoring squirrel numbers across Scotland, managing the impact of squirrelpox, and helping to combat the spread of grey… […]
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… […]
…Scottish Squirrel Group have been tasked with drafting an ambitious 50-year vision for red squirrel conservation in Scotland. The revised Strategy will cover a 10-year timeline (2025 – 2035) informed by this vision, and will be developed using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Guidelines for Species Conservation Planning, the gold standard for species conservation planning which… […]
…foot, by bike, and sometimes with her guide dog puppy in training, “Simon”. We are absolutely gutted to be saying goodbye to Janice as she moves to pastures new, but we know that she will continue to make a difference wherever she is. So, to Janice, thank you for more than two years volunteering for Aberdeen’s red squirrels, and farewell,… […]
…Your group’s Hub Admin can advise, or if in doubt please contact us at squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk Does the group map show sightings from the current year? Yes, your group’s map shows sightings from the current year (starting in January), and you can filter for the years with the dropdown above the map. On the other hand, the map on the public… […]
…a turnaround for red squirrels in Aberdeen in recent decades. We currently have 44 volunteers involved with the project in Aberdeen, and many residents have got on board with the project and given us access to their gardens, which really assists our progress. It’s fantastic to have so much support from the local community for our reds. We encourage members… […]
…squirrels – which account for around 75% of the total UK population. Red squirrels are a protected species, but for many years have experienced declines due to the invasive non-native grey squirrel introduced to Britain from North America in Victorian times. Grey squirrels out-compete reds for food and living space and have rapidly replaced native red squirrel populations across most… […]
…been taking blood samples from grey squirrels which are then tested for the presence of squirrelpox antibodies. A very small number of grey squirrels have tested positive for squirrelpox antibodies between 2013 and 2020 in the Central Lowlands, the most northerly of which was at Plean, near Bannockburn. It is unclear how the disease arrived here, as we have detected… […]
…the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring… […]
The award-winning environmental charity Trees for Life stands at the forefront of rewilding in the Scottish Highlands, and for over 30 years has been working to nurture and expand ancient woodland fragments and reintroduce missing animals. Red squirrels are an iconic Scottish species and a key resident of the Caledonian forest, but habitat loss from deforestation, human persecution, and competition… […]
