All things invasive with the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative

…of these characteristics in combination make successful invasive species formidable opponents to native species – and difficult (and often expensive) to remove or dislodge once established.   Invasive plant control at Spey Bay   What impacts do they have? The most significant impacts invasive species have are on our natural environment where we see; Competition; invasive species are often better… […]

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Building a Volunteer Network

…online guide . I f you live in one of ou r South Scotland priority areas and would like to get involved with an existing red squirrel group, please visit our Network Directory to find one near you.   Giuliana Sinclair Community Engagement Officer Area covered: South West Scotland gsinclair@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk Sarah Cooper Community Engagement Officer Area covered: Scottish Borders scooper@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk […]

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Argaty’s red squirrels are back in full force

…in force on Argaty. Today we run two squirrel photography hides and are in the process of building a third. I seldom go twenty-four hours without seeing a squirrel here and when I do, something feels missing from the day. Last year one particularly brazen animal scaled the side of our house and began building a drey between the downpipe… […]

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

…project’s spring surveys in both 2020 and 2021. These annual systematic surveys, which used baited squirrel-hair sampling boxes at over 200 specific locations, provided robust distribution data for both red and grey squirrels that was invaluable for comparing the fortunes of squirrels from year-to-year. Project Manager Dr Mel Tonkin said: “Without the spring survey data, we need the help of… […]

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Seasonal Squirrels Part 4: Winter!

…hidden stores. And don’t forget the beautiful tufted ears, which will grow longer and fluffier in winter, giving red squirrels an extra dash of seasonal charm! Remember, you can share your sightings (of red squirrels or grey squirrels) with us all year round at: scottishsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sightings/   Rebecca Bradley (SSRS Office & Comms Volunteer) Katie Berry (SSRS Communications & Engagement Officer)… […]

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One small step for Perthshire’s reds

…impact our work is having. These can be submitted through our website, which only takes a few moments to complete. This small success with potentially far-reaching protective significance would not have been possible without the support of the local community. So on behalf of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Tayside Team, we would like to thank everyone who has been… […]

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Tayside, Angus & the Mearns

Tayside, Angus & the Mearns Successfully defending the Highland Boundary Line to protect north Scotland’s red squirrels through strategic control and monitoring Tayside, Angus & the Mearns continue to provide a home for many of Scotland’s red squirrels. However, since the 1980s grey squirrels have spread north from Perth and the Central Belt. Unfortunately, these grey squirrels not only out-compete… […]

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News: Help stop the spread of grey squirrels in the Mearns

  Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is appealing for help to stop the spread of grey squirrels into the Mearns region of Aberdeenshire.   Recently a number of grey squirrels have been found north of the River North Esk in areas including Marykirk, St Cyrus and Benholm. Without urgent action, local red squirrel populations in the Mearns are at risk. The… […]

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Squirrel Sightings – Your Questions Answered!

…to enter key information about your sighting such as species, date, habitat type, location etc. This is very easy to do and should just take a few minutes, but if you have any issues please email us on squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk. Why are red squirrels under threat in Scotland? Red squirrel populations have seriously declined throughout the UK over the last century… […]

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This Year's Sightings