News: ‘Booster’ project will protect Scotland’s red squirrels for another two years

  The Scottish Wildlife Trust is pleased to announce that the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project has secured initial funding for a two-year transitional project phase in April 2022.   This ‘booster’ phase will enable the project to complete its aims and plan for the long-term future, leaving a legacy of sustainable and community-led red squirrel conservation across the south… […]

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South Scotland

South Scotland Managing squirrelpox to ensure red squirrels continue to have a home in south Scotland Red squirrels were once widespread across the woodlands of south Scotland, but their numbers fell rapidly upon the arrival of grey squirrels. Since their introduction to urban gardens and parks by humans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, grey squirrels have spread… […]

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Introducing the new Eastern Lowlands Red Squirrel Group

In February 2023 the Eastern Lowlands Red Squirrel Group (ELRSG) was established with funding through the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. It is an independent group from Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels as the project does not cover this area. The Eastern Lowlands includes the Kingdom of Fife, Clackmannanshire, part of Stirling and parts of Perth and Kinross.   East Lowland… […]

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Argyll, Trossachs & Stirling

Argyll, the Trossachs & Stirling Successfully defending the Highland Boundary Line to protect north Scotland’s red squirrels through strategic control and monitoring With vast tree canopies and plentiful food supply, the forests of west Scotland are home to healthy numbers of red squirrels. However, grey squirrels spreading northwards from the Central Belt and westwards from Stirlingshire and Perthshire continue to… […]

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Seasonal Squirrels Part 2: Summer!

Summer is a wonderful time to appreciate Scotland’s charismatic red squirrels! From summer coats, to unusual foods, to well-deserved afternoon siestas. Read on below for our guide to their behaviours during this (sometimes!) sunny season for you to observe and enjoy! Perthshire Summer Red (c) Raymond Leinster Ear Tufts & Summer Coats The fur of red squirrels can vary from… […]

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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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Seasonal Squirrels Part 3: Autumn!

As the warmth and brightness of summer give way to the colourful leaves and shorter days of autumn, the Scottish red squirrel is at their most active on the forest floor – caching food for the colder months ahead. The behaviour of red squirrels in autumn offers a window into the natural rhythm of the seasons, and it is the… […]

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Studying the life of the urban red squirrel

  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… […]

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Trees for Life Guest Blog: Boosting red squirrel populations throughout the Highlands

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… […]

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All things invasive with the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative

  This week is national Invasive Species Week, 13-17 May, which aims to raise awareness across Great Britain about invasive species and their impacts.   Being a project all about invasive species, here at the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative, we’re quite excited about having a whole week of lots of people talking about Invasive Species and we’d love everyone to… […]

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This Year's Sightings