…of the invasive non-native grey squirrel which, along with carrying the squirrelpox virus, also outcompete red squirrels for food and habitat. Greys were first introduced to the UK from North America by the Victorians and have since displaced red squirrels in most of England and Wales, with more than 75% of the UK’s total remaining population residing in Scotland today…. […]
…them to become fully community-led. In the North East, the project has worked towards the removal of an isolated population of grey squirrels that was introduced to Aberdeen in the 1970s and spread to the surrounding countryside. Today, grey squirrels are largely limited to the centre of the city and eradication is considered achievable. In the Central Lowlands, grey squirrels… […]
…the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring… […]
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… […]
…and Lochearn will also be monitored. In the south of Scotland the project will maintain a co-ordinating overview of grey squirrel control efforts by land managers and volunteers within the priority areas for red squirrel conservation (PARCs). Our Grey Squirrel Control Officers will focus on the Upper Tweed, the Nithsdale and the Annandale PARCs. Existing volunteer groups which are not… […]
…not only threatens the local red squirrel population in the Mearns but it could also jeopardise the project’s success in Aberdeen. The introduction of squirrelpox into North East Scotland could be devastating for the core populations of red squirrels in the north of Scotland. For more information about volunteering with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels visit scottishsquirrels.org.uk. VIEW VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES… […]
…and the rest of the UK, were our native reds. Then, in 1876, Victorians brought grey squirrels to Cheshire in England, to decorate parks. Naturally spreading from there and with further releases, including across the south of Scotland, grey squirrels rapidly took over, wiping out red squirrels as they went through competition and by carrying the deadly squirrelpox virus. By… […]
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… […]
…for more information. Landowners Landowners in certain areas can control grey squirrels under Forestry Grant Scheme funding, or join the project’s trap-loan scheme. Woodland owners, meanwhile, can adjust the management of their woods to benefit red squirrels. Please contact your local SSRS or Scottish Forestry staff for more information. Area Contact Susie McNaughton Highland Line Conservation Lead smcnaughton@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk… […]
…this, there are many people throughout the country who have never seen a red squirrel due to the catastrophic declines they have suffered since non-native grey squirrels were introduced to the UK beginning in the 1890s; red squirrels are currently listed as an endangered species in the UK, and without conservation action are at risk of being driven to extinction…. […]
