Introducing the newest faces of our scurry

…an Administrative Assistant, and from June started her new role as Assistant Conservation Officer. When she is not busy saving red squirrels, Victoria works as a Freelance Ecologist, undertaking bat surveys, badger, amphibian, butterfly and botanical surveys. Victoria will be joining the South West team from Dalbeattie in Dumfries and Galloway once restrictions ease. Contact: vchanin@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk   Dr Emma Sheehy:… […]

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The Bald Facts

why they moult so early. Dr Mel Tonkin, formerly Project Manager of SSRS was studying wild red squirrels in the 1980’s and didn’t see any evidence of moulting this early. Is it an effect of climate change causing the squirrels’ food sources to grow earlier in the season, or perhaps the increased feeding in people’s gardens of foods that squirrels… […]

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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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Leaping into the future

…populations of the Highlands, Argyll, North-East Scotland, northern Tayside and Stirling. The programme will also deliver the required support and co-ordination to voluntary groups and individuals actively delivering vital long-term protection of red squirrels in key areas across the country. In this project phase we’ll also continue to carry out vital conservation work in key areas: In the North East,… […]

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Nature of Scotland Award Nomination for the Return of Reds to Aberdeen

…important part of woodland management in Aberdeen. Following the introduction of the non-native grey squirrel to the city in the 1970’s, native red squirrel populations were soon replaced. In 2007, Aberdeen City Council initiated grey squirrel control efforts in a number of woodlands to encourage red squirrels back into their original habitat. When the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project became… […]

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News: Record participation in national squirrel survey

of grey squirrels concentrated in the built-up area. Here, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels are working to contain the overspill of grey squirrels into Aberdeenshire. For the last twelve years, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels has implemented control measures along the Highland Line from the Gare Loch to Montrose to contain the incursion of the non-native grey squirrel into red squirrel strongholds… […]

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Squirrelpox: Staying ahead of the spread

…for red squirrels and, in the longer term, reduce the rate of transmission of the virus. If you are interested in getting involved to help slow the spread of squirrelpox , please get in touch, or read our Squirrelpox Action in the Central Lowlands Toolkit for more information. Read the full report: Squirrelpox Detection in the Central Lowlands 2017-2020  … […]

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

…squirrels is now largely contained within Aberdeen’s city limits and red squirrels are increasingly seen in the city’s parks and gardens. Grey squirrels spreading from Angus into Aberdeenshire not only threatens the local red squirrel population in the Mearns but it could also jeopardise the project’s success in Aberdeen. The introduction of squirrelpox into North East Scotland could be devastating… […]

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South Scotland

…grey squirrel control in key areas. Join a Local Group   Achievements to date Increase in grey squirrel control – Analysis of trapping results has shown an increase in grey squirrel detection, largely due to the increase in control activity across the region by volunteers and landowners, with volunteer cull contributions rising from 1.3% to 27% in the last four… […]

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Join team squirrel!

…(ASAP – 31 August 2022) Closing date: 20 March 2022 The post will contribute to the project’s co-ordinated landscape-scale approach to reduce grey squirrel numbers in the target area of Dunkeld thus preventing grey squirrel dispersal into Dunkeld-Blairgowrie-Coupar-Angus area. APPLY NOW   Seasonal Grey Squirrel Officer – East Angus Location: Home based, East Angus area (i.e. Forfar/Montrose area) Region: Tayside… […]

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This Year's Sightings