…while greys were only detected in 25%. The reds are dominant in Dumfries and Galloway, south western parts of the Borders and South Ayrshire, while greys reign in the eastern Borders and across more northerly parts of the region. We will now apply this data to focus efforts even more effectively in the south. What is certain is that red… […]
…in the past. Photograph: Steve Gardner. To the 130 or so volunteers that helped with the surveys, we say a huge thank you for the magnificent effort; we could not have covered the huge survey area without you. Full results of these surveys will be published on the website when they are ready. Also under way is our second year… […]
…adventures over the next few days . Where & When You could plan a trip almost anywhere in Scotland, or even just outside your front door. There are a number of well-known squirrel stomping grounds you could visit; however, it is equally important to consider an area that could be an ideal squirrel habitat where few sightings have been recorded… […]
…will have had two litters and will be in poor condition. They will need all the food they can get to see them through winter. Studies have shown that females that spend more time storing and retrieving food enjoy far better winter survival. Likewise the young squirrels (called ‘kittens’ fact fans!) will be dispersing around now, and they seem to… […]
…why they moult so early. Dr Mel Tonkin, formerly Project Manager of SSRS was studying wild red squirrels in the 1980’s and didn’t see any evidence of moulting this early. Is it an effect of climate change causing the squirrels’ food sources to grow earlier in the season, or perhaps the increased feeding in people’s gardens of foods that squirrels… […]
…fallen drastically to just 120*]}*,000. This is largely due to the spread of the grey squirrel, which was first introduced to Britain from North America in the mid-19th Century. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and made possible thanks to National Lottery players and the Dumfries & Galloway LEADER 2014 – 2020… […]
…in the Stranraer area where a total of 48 greys were removed in a week. These brilliant efforts should go a long way to curtailing the influx of the grey squirrels from the North West. I am proud to be involved with such a group and excited about what we can achieve in the years to come with a good… […]
…know how many red squirrels there are in Scotland? Not really. Counting the actual number of red squirrels is a near impossible task, and like most small animals their numbers will vary naturally from year to year depending on factors like food availability and weather. It’s been estimated that there could be around 120*]}*,000 red squirrels left in Scotland, 75%… […]
Back in September we asked the Scottish public once again to get outdoors, enjoy nature and keep an eye out for both red and grey squirrels during National Red Squirrel Week. Sightings were reported on the SSRS website and each one was individually verified. Now we are delighted to report that the results are in! 1099 people took part… […]
…Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 provides for duty of care for animals in captivity (live-trapped animals). This makes it an offence to inflict, or allow others to inflict, cruelty or abuse on a grey squirrel held captive. The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) makes it illegal to release, or allow to escape to the wild, any captive grey squirrel…. […]
