News: Great Scottish Squirrel Survey launched to boost protection for native reds

…the project understand how red and grey squirrel populations are changing over time and decide where to focus conservation efforts. Dr Mel Tonkin, SSRS Project Manager said: “We monitor squirrel populations throughout the year, and in 2018 we received an incredible 8,400 squirrel sightings from members of the public. “This year, thanks to support from National Lottery players, we’re trying… […]

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

…the situation with both red and grey squirrels is changing. The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey allows us to compare data between years which is really helpful in understanding the impact our efforts are having over time and where more help is needed.” “Acting as a squirrel spotter while you are out and about and reporting a squirrel sighting is simple […]

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

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is calling on the public to take part in the nationwide Great Scottish Squirrel Survey between 20-26 September (National Red Squirrel Week). Now in its third year, the survey is needed more than ever due to the impact of Covid-19. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which… […]

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Spring into survey time

…been conducting an annual survey in the areas where red squirrels are most under threat from non-native grey squirrels. The results provide us with a better understanding of where red and grey squirrels are on the map, and allow us to track changes in the populations of both species over time. This knowledge not only helps us measure the impact… […]

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How can we reduce road deaths?

Original Author: Kate Thomson We field numerous enquiries each year about what we can do to reduce red squirrel casualties on our roads. It’s not a simple issue to tackle, but here are our thoughts.   The problem Have you ever seen a red squirrel dead on the side of the road? According to the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species… […]

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Fed Up With Feederboxes? No Way!

…picture of the Scottish red and grey squirrel populations of spring 2015 and compare their distributions to previous years. This will help in understanding the impact that conservation measures are having, where grey squirrel control needs stepped up and if the red squirrel population is gaining or losing ground. Finally, as a positive offshoot from the main purpose of squirrel… […]

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Leaping into the future

  This week marks the official end of ‘Developing Community Action’. The past five years have gone incredibly fast! So what happens next?   Funded by National Lottery Players, ‘Developing Community Action’ saw the SSRS team expand to its largest ever staffing level, with ambitious aims to boost our engagement with local communities, build a network of skilled volunteers and,… […]

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Studying the life of the urban red squirrel

…the global population are predicted to be living in urban areas by 2050, altering the natural environment and presenting new challenges for our wildlife species. Historically, urban areas have been ignored as suitable wildlife habitats. However, there is increasing evidence that these environments can have plentiful resources and support a wide range of biodiversity, so there has been a growing… […]

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This Year's Sightings