One small step for Perthshire’s reds

…like much, but locating and intercepting the very early grey squirrel colonisers is a difficult job – needles and haystacks being an apt analogy – and your reports enable us to narrow our search. Although the risk of grey squirrel presence in the area has been reduced, we of course do not know how many grey squirrels remain in Pitlochry,… […]

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All things invasive with the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative

…staggering 94% decline in native water vole populations? The American skunk-cabbage plant does actually smell as bad as a skunk….   White butterburr was imported as a garden ornamental from mainland Europe and SW Asia and escaped into the wild.   What is an Invasive Species? There are around 2,000 non-native plants and animals in the UK, these non-native species… […]

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Community Hub FAQs

…Admin can advise, or if in doubt please contact us at squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk Can I set up a joint account on Hub e.g. Mr & Mrs Brown? We advise that you each have you own individual account on Hub, you may have different volunteer roles and we need to sign you up and ensure you are covered under the Trust’s insurance… […]

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News: New research underway to trace the steps of urban squirrels

…this, it is an offence to release a grey squirrel into the wild without a licence. Work has been underway since 2007 to reduce the threat to red squirrels in the region through a carefully targeted grey squirrel control programme. Today, grey squirrels are rarely seen beyond Aberdeen’s city limits, and the city’s parks and gardens have seen a steady… […]

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Celebrating a red squirrel champion

…use of the skills many groups already have. The Chart gives groups full visibility of where expertise lies as well as who is asking for help on what. As the Forum covers such a wide area, even before Covid-19 struck, get-togethers were difficult, as well as being time consuming and expensive. The current restrictions prompted a digital response and Peter… […]

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News: Public squirrel sightings soar in 2023

…public to spot and record all grey and red squirrels, a total of 1334 people took part, reporting just under 2000 red and grey squirrel sightings across the country, almost 2.5 times as many as were reporting during the 2022 survey. These sightings provide invaluable data for conservationists and scientists working on the ground to protect the endangered native red… […]

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Gardening for red squirrels

…a designated ‘wildlife corner’. Leaving a patch of your garden to grow wild will benefit all sorts of garden wildlife, including red squirrels. Allow grass and wild plants to establish and grow tall, create hiding places and habitat features with rocks, and leave some logs to decompose to encourage fungi (also part of a red squirrel’s diet).   Feed red… […]

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News: Help stop the spread of grey squirrels in the Mearns

…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… […]

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Great Scottish Squirrel Survey

…and facebook for the latest Great Scottish Squirrel Survey news.   Get involved There are a variety of outdoor and online events happening throughout the Survey week, check out our events page for more details. If you are a member of a community group, wildlife organisation or visitor attraction in Scotland you could help us spread the word or even… […]

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This Year's Sightings