…because they thrive in the new environment into which they’ve been introduced and, in doing so, impact on and disrupt the delicate balance of that natural ecosystem. Their impacts can be large and obvious, like the presence of a stand of Japanese knotweed, or subtle like the reduction in invertebrate biodiversity in a river when the banks are dominated by… […]
…efforts to remove the threat. It has been observed throughout the UK that when grey squirrels move into an area, the local red squirrel population is gradually replaced due to competition for resources such as food and living space. Although grey squirrels occur in Dunkeld, this is generally the northern limit of their range in Perthshire. Sightings of greys… […]
…other animals, or is infested by creepy-crawlies. A surprisingly common occurrence is the sharing of dreys by squirrels, something which they seem to be happy to do, with the added body heat lending appeal to the convivial vibe. Even more surprising is the fact that there is a squirrel ‘time share’ arrangement, whereby a squirrel will spend the winter occupying… […]
…Aspirations (hence the campfire, axes and knives), which is where I came in. I taught them about squirrel ecology, explained why the Grey Squirrel is a threat, destroyed squirrel myths (nope, they don’t hibernate!), asked them to search for signs of squirrel activity (cone debris, scratch marks etc.), to build dreys (squirrel nests), and encouraged them to look for squirrels… […]
…snow makes red squirrel footprints (and those of many other animals) clearly visible, and will give you a good idea of who is out and about, even overnight. Light, fresh snow is best for tracking, rather than hard-packed, icy surfaces. Look for squirrel footprints around your feeders or at the base of trees where they have been busy digging up… […]
Dr Jenny Bryce, Scottish Natural Heritage Wildlife Ecologist, discusses how evidence is shaping conservation strategy; reflecting on invasives insights upon the publication of a paper co-written by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels’ Dr Mel Tonkin. In July 2017 Mel Tonkin, SSRS Project Manager, presented a paper at the IUCN Island Invasives conference held in Dundee. This was the third… […]
Original Author: Liz Gunby Community Engagement Officer Liz Gunby reflects on her first summer inspiring community action in south Scotland, and talks about some upcoming opportunities to get involved in the project. This summer the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels team embarked upon its mission to inspire community action across the country. The holidays soon filled up with a busy… […]
Original Author: Steve Willis A guest blog from Rosy of Deeside Knitwits. Rosy and the Knitwits have recently made some truly amazing knitted red squirrels which they have gifted to SSRS. Here’s a bit of background into what they do and how it all started! And if you didn’t know what ‘knitadermy’ was, you soon will! Over to Rosy….. … […]
After years of carefully targeted grey squirrel control, we were excited to hear that a red squirrel has been spotted in Luss. It’s a sign that our native reds are beginning to make a comeback on Loch Lomond’s western shores. Luss Estate is a nationally important area for red squirrel conservation because it sits on the Highland Boundary Fault… […]
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