Looking for signs of squirrels this September

…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… […]

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Building a Volunteer Network

  Network groups across South Scotland priority areas are ensuring the long-term survival of native red squirrels through community action. In our project’s priority areas, some of these groups are already beginning to see red squirrel populations bounce back.   Red squirrel gro ups have been invaluable in collective conservation efforts to date in South Scotland and are led by… […]

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New Conservation Officer calls for the public to help protect red squirrels in the Scottish Borders

…carry squirrelpox, a virus that does not affect them but is deadly to reds. Outbreaks can cause the local red squirrel population to crash, but research has shown that keeping grey squirrel numbers sufficiently low can enable reds to bounce back. Conservation Officer Laura, who previously spent eight years as Ranger at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Falls of Clyde Wildlife… […]

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Busy breeding

…beginning and end of the day when the adults are active. Squirrels frequently don’t stray far from the maternal drey for much of the summer but the majority of juveniles will have dispersed by autumn. It is estimated that only 15-25% will survive their first winter. Red squirrels reach sexual maturity by 9-10 months of age, so with sufficient food… […]

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Spring into survey time

…kicked off when a team of volunteers visited our Edinburgh HQ to help prepare the packs that are sent out to each survey volunteer. Maybe not the most exciting task, but between all the cutting, sticking and folding there was plenty of cake and biscuits to keep us all going. Volunteers at Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre also helped build 80… […]

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A lucky escape!

…of bait out in the hope of a few squirrels or maybe even a marten. The very first thing to find the bait was a marten! Then by day there were heaps of squirrels. See this link for a cool video of what is known, technically speaking, as a scurry of squirrels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rik6pGV0KlI All very nice, but imagine Gus’ surprise… […]

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This Year's Sightings