An update on the Heathhall squirrelpox outbreak

…and our initial response here. One of the infected red squirrels, photographed by Lisa Fuller Our first action was to remove any feeder boxes that had been installed in the woodland, to reduce inter-species and intra-species contact and therefore reduce the chances of the disease spreading further. We then set up live traps in the area with two aims. Firstly,… […]

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Adventures at the RSPB Big Nature Festival

…a good chat with the staff about the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel project. Then another TV presenter! This time it was Leah Boleto from BBC Newsround! And with all these new faces it’s great to bump into an old pal- aye it’s good old Bruce the Beaver! Nice to see him there to promote the wildlife of Argyll- including red… […]

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Spring into survey time

Original Author: Alexa Seagrave It’s February and preparations are well underway for the 2018 squirrel survey. Conservation Officer Alexa Seagrave explains what the survey is all about and why spring is such a great time to get outdoors and look for squirrels.   Last week we published the results of our 2017 squirrel survey, with the good news that overall… […]

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The Riddle of the Balding Squirrels

…often presented with clear images that show a complete absence of any other symptoms. The squirrels themselves seem perky, and are usually observed to go on to grow their summer coat normally. Typically red squirrels moult their winter coats in May-June, with their summer coats already coming in before the winter fur is lost. Balding red squirrel in April, Copyright:… […]

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Cosy hideouts

Original Author: Stewart Smith – Squirrel Volunteer   How do squirrels survive the winter? Do they hibernate? The cold weather is a tough time for animals, how do they managed to stay warm?   Winter has arrived in Scotland. People are trudging home in the dark at 4 o’clock, and newspapers are threatening blizzards, and “the coldest winter on record”,… […]

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News: Appeal to Kincardineshire residents to help protect Aberdeenshire’s red squirrel

…recent years. We need the public to help us by continuing to report sightings. “Without targeted action, these squirrels could continue to spread north, and become established in Kincardineshire and beyond. That could begin to undo the hard-won successes we’ve achieved in the in the last ten years.” Reporting sightings of both native and non-native grey squirrels at scottishsquirrels.org.uk is… […]

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News Summary

Latest Project News Read all the latest news and blogs from Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels 17th May 2024, by ssrs_admin Fife Squirrelpox Update 5th Apr 2024, by Katie Berry News: First death of red squirrel from squirrelpox virus confirmed north of Scotland’s Central Belt 28th Mar 2024, by Guest Blogger Reviewing the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation Read more… […]

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Who’s who? A guide to squirrel ID

…you ever tried to distinguish and identify them? Well, here’s how you can – why not give it a try this winter? Red squirrels have many different coat and tail colours and patterns, and they can vary from very pale blonde to almost black, with some coat colours being more common in local areas. Take a photo of each of… […]

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This Year's Sightings