Major boost for Scotland’s red squirrels thanks to National Lottery funding

…red squirrels.Scotland is home to just 120,000 red squirrels, three quarters of the UK population. The main threat to native squirrels comes from competition with invasive non-native grey squirrels and the spread of the deadly squirrelpox virus.   Dr Mel Tonkin, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project Manager said: “Our work since 2009 shows that through targeted control of grey squirrels… […]

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Get Involved

…keep a personal record of your squirrel sightings. Submit a squirrel sighting Make a donation Your donation could help fund: Standardised annual surveys to monitor red and grey squirrel populations across project areas Annual testing for the spread of the Squirrelpox virus through grey squirrel populations in Scotland A team of Red Squirrel Conservation Officers, Grey Squirrel Officers and a… […]

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

…and supporters can connect with other red squirrel enthusiasts in their area.” Autumn is a very busy time of year for red squirrels as they take advantage of the season’s bountiful supply of nuts, seeds, berries and fungi; making it an ideal time for squirrel sightings. As well as looking up to the treetops to spot squirrels, people should also… […]

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Great Scottish Squirrel Survey

…to our online sightings map. We anticipate that the data collected during the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey will be verified, collated and published by December 2023. View 2022 Great Scottish Squirrel Survey Results   Share your stories Share your Great Scottish Squirrel Survey photos and stories with us by using the hashtag #GreatScottishSquirrelSurvey. Don’t forget to follow us on twitter… […]

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News: Get squirrel spotting during the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey next week!

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is calling on members of the public to take part in the nationwide Great Scottish Squirrel Survey now taking place between 10-16 October (National Red Squirrel Week). Now in its fourth year, the squirrel spotting campaign is hoping to build on the previous successes of this important effort. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a partnership… […]

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News: The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey returns in an important year for squirrel sightings

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… […]

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A lucky escape!

…of bait out in the hope of a few squirrels or maybe even a marten. The very first thing to find the bait was a marten! Then by day there were heaps of squirrels. See this link for a cool video of what is known, technically speaking, as a scurry of squirrels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rik6pGV0KlI All very nice, but imagine Gus’ surprise… […]

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Welcoming volunteers back into the field this Volunteers’ Week

…December volunteer announcement, grey squirrel control volunteers can continue their work in the field   We ask those looking to return to volunteering, to be proactive in monitoring changing Covid-19 guidelines in your local authority area, by regularly visiting https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/. Prior to commencing any new activities, a Covid-19 Risk Assessment will need to be reviewed. This can be accessed through… […]

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This Year's Sightings