…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… […]
…of course, protect red squirrels by managing the spread of grey squirrels in priority areas across Scotland. We’ve faced significant challenges along the way, not least due to the impact of Covid-19, but there is a lot to celebrate, from red squirrels making a comeback in Aberdeen to the network of 18 volunteer groups now taking action across the south… […]
…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… […]
…through competition for resources. Most worryingly they could also potentially bring the deadly squirrelpox virus, which isn’t currently present in Aberdeenshire, with them. This virus doesn’t harm grey squirrels but it is deadly for reds. It would be devastating for Scotland’s squirrels if squirrelpox is allowed to spread into the north of the country. “There are a number of ways… […]
…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…. […]
…threaten their survival. These grey squirrels not only out-compete reds, some also carry the deadly squirrelpox virus. If their spread was allowed to continue, Scotland’s red squirrel stronghold in the southern Highlands would be at serious risk. The aim in this region is containment of the grey squirrel population to prevent further inroads being made on Scotland’s core red squirrel… […]
…and a Community Engagement Officer dedicated to protecting key red squirrel populations with the help of landowners and volunteers Campaigns to spread the word about the lives of red squirrels, the problems that they face and the wider appreciation of Scotland’s wildlife and work to protect it. Donations to the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project are processed by the Scottish… […]
…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,… […]
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… […]
