Tayside

in Tayside, please contact your local SSRS staff 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… […]

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New faces and farewells

…Mearns, and extending this into North-east Angus, with the support of the North-east Team in Aberdeen, whilst also liaising closely with the team in Tayside. The Mearns & East Angus section of the highland line is a crucial location in both the defence of the Highland Line and ensuring that the risk of immigration into Aberdeen city’s island population of… […]

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For nature, go native

commercial conifers – to red squirrels. The researchers, together with Ulster Wildlife, bring into question red squirrel conservation strategies that focus on the planting of such forests.   Scotland’s conifer forests In Scotland, non-native conifer forests are planted for commercial purposes. By the 1930s red squirrel populations were in serious decline in the UK, but the extensive conifer planting that… […]

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HRH The Prince of Wales gives special thanks to volunteers on Red Squirrel Appreciation Day

…its presence, the benchmark. As you will all know so well, these charming and intelligent creatures never fail to delight. I take enormous pleasure in having them around – and in! – the house when I am at home in Scotland. They are such inquisitive and delightful characters; they have even been known to hunt down a few of their… […]

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Vital protections for red squirrels at risk

…Countryside Act 1981. The Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform (Mairi McAllan) gave this response: S6W-01445 Mairi McAllan : “The Scottish Government is committed to enhancing biodiversity and to protecting vulnerable species in Scotland. Following the conclusion of the seventh Quinquennial Review the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) will submit recommendations for potential changes to the animals and plants… […]

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News: Suspected squirrelpox outbreak near Lockerbie threatens local red squirrel population

…vulnerable time for red squirrels, as they prepare for the upcoming mating season and increase contact with one another. We have deployed our emergency squirrelpox outbreak response measures, and as such locals can expect to see an increased staff and volunteer presence in the area as we increase grey control efforts in the region in a bid to stem the […]

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Introducing the new Eastern Lowlands Red Squirrel Group

…squirrel monitoring effort to help improve baseline data and allow for targeted grey squirrel management Provide training for volunteers in grey squirrel management Ensure a reduction in grey squirrel sightings by targeted trapping activity – including a trap loan scheme Increase community awareness and interest in red squirrel conservation across the project area via social media, website, agricultural events/shows and… […]

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Squirrel Sightings: an inside look

…  Verification Our job is to look at each sighting to make sure that all the details are correct including the grid reference; we have had the occasional sighting seeming to indicate a squirrel swimming in the North Sea! It is a huge job going through the thousands of sightings that come in throughout GSSS week, and we are fortunate… […]

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Squirrel Sightings: an inside look

Republished from 09/17/2021 by Victoria Chanin   The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey 2022 is right around the corner, and now in its fourth year, we are very excited to see this year’s results! For those who haven’t participated before, the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is a week-long event in the autumn during National Red Squirrel Awareness Week when we call… […]

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News: Moffat’s red squirrels and golden eagles team up to give native wildlife a boost

…of golden eagles in the south of Scotland. Since 2018, the project has doubled the population of golden eagles in the south of Scotland, through a series of translocations. As they settle into their new home, the young golden eagle juveniles initially require help to feed. Cat Barlow, Project Manager for the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project explains: “We… […]

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This Year's Sightings