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

…on a record-breaking turnout in 2020, last year’s 2021 Great Scottish Squirrel Survey saw 1549 squirrel sightings reported in just one week by nearly 1100 people across Scotland. Sightings help project staff to create a picture of the situation on the ground, and directly contribute to red squirrel conservation action. Since the end of the project’s spring surveys in 2020,… […]

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Welcoming volunteers back into the field this Volunteers’ Week

…the Community Hub Grey Squirrel Control Group documents for control volunteers, or by contacting your local Community Engagement Officer or Conservation Officer for other volunteer activities. We will continue to keep all of our volunteers fully informed of any changes to guidance and if you have any questions or concerns around outdoor volunteering at this time, please contact your local… […]

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Great Scottish Squirrel Survey

…not only improves our understanding of how squirrel populations are changing over time, it also helps our team take direct conservation action. Public sightings are more important than ever and play a key role in informing red squirrel conservation efforts. Each squirrel sighting reported during the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey will provide a detailed snapshot of the current situation on… […]

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Community Hub FAQs

…will accept your request and/or be in touch to discuss. If applicable they will also send you an invite to join the private survey and grey control groups Note: if your local group is not currently operating independently from SSRS, you may still be required to join the SSRS volunteering group and enter your details as prompted. Your group’s Hub… […]

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A lucky escape!

…would be reported, simply out of interest. There can’t be that much overlap between the strictly diurnal (active in daylight) red squirrel and the generally nocturnal tawny owl. Perhaps this owl was feeding young and was desperate for food! Anyway, the red squirrel lived to fight another day which is good, and we wish that feisty tawny owl well too!… […]

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Suspected squirrelpox cases on the Solway Coast

…are asking people living within these areas to be extra vigilant. Squirrelpox is a virus carried by grey squirrels without causing them any harm. However, if spread to red squirrels the disease is deadly. Red squirrels develop wet pus-filled lesions on their faces, particularly around the eyes, nose and mouth, as well as on their paws and genitalia. They become… […]

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All things invasive with the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative

…produces 20-30,000 seeds per flower head They are successful dispersers e.g. Himalayan balsam has exploding seed pods that spread its seed several metres, and a female mink can travel 80km in search of a breeding territory In addition, invasive plants often readily thrive on disturbed soils and making them very opportunistic and able to rapidly colonise a new area. They… […]

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

…at scottishsquirrels.org.uk.” 2020’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey was a record-breaking year, with 3160 squirrel sightings reported in just one week. Sightings help SSRS create a picture of the situation on the ground, and directly contribute to red squirrel conservation action. This year’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is all the more important because Covid-19 lockdown restrictions forced the cancellation of the… […]

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Speaking up for Red Squirrels in the Consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity

…and thoughts and answer any additional questions as you see fit:   Dear Minister Slater, I am writing in response to your consultation, Tackling the Nature Emergency – Strategic Framework for Biodiversity. Here are some of my views: My general comment: [INSER T GENERAL COMMENT] My con sultation answers: [INSERT SELECTED QUESTIONS WITH YOUR ANSWERS BELOW] I am responding as… […]

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This Year's Sightings