…us a good indication of whether that tetrad contains red squirrels, grey squirrels, both species, or no squirrels. Of course, in one year a feeder box may not be visited by every species in the area, but when compared over the course of many years, this landscape-scale approach to monitoring can provide a strong indication of how both species are… […]
…Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 provides for duty of care for animals in captivity (live-trapped animals). This makes it an offence to inflict, or allow others to inflict, cruelty or abuse on a grey squirrel held captive. The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) makes it illegal to release, or allow to escape to the wild, any captive grey squirrel…. […]
…There are now approximately 160,000 native red squirrels in Britain, of which over 75% live in Scotland Since the introduction of grey squirrels, they have become widespread across Britain due to their ability to adapt to new environments. They have also introduced the squirrel pox virus which, although catastrophic to red squirrels, appears to leave grey squirrels relatively unharmed due… […]
…taking to the roads in aid of Scottish squirrels. On September 6th 2015 thousands of cyclists will be taking on the challenge of a fifty mile bike run from Glasgow to Edinburgh. I’ll be one of them. Rather than just have a jolly day out with my mates I have decided to try and raise some funds to help my… […]
…fatal within two weeks. Image © William Lee Protecting the Central Lowlands In the Central Lowlands of Scotland, the models predicted that: Without control efforts, squirrelpox can spread rapidly through high density grey populations. Squirrelpox outbreaks in red squirrels cause population crashes, making red populations more vulnerable to replacement and extinction. Outbreaks in red squirrel populations only occur in… […]
Take a walk on the wild side Learn about one of Scotland’s most iconic yet threatened species while exploring their natural habitat. Join us on a Red Squirrel Ramble through some of our favourite woodland walks, on the lookout for tufted ears and bushy tails. We’ve curated five walking routes from the parks and gardens of North East Scotland, to… […]
…chances of seeing not only red squirrels but also a range of other timid species such as deer, hedgehogs, beavers, badgers, pine marten, owls, jays, woodpeckers etc, depending of course on where you go and the time of day or year that you visit. Squirrels are less active during the winter but they do not hibernate so this means that… […]
…www.scottishsquirrels.org.uk. All well and good, but what about all those folks in the enviable position of seeing red squirrels in their garden on a daily basis? We don’t expect you to run to your computer every single time you see a red or grey, so here is our advice on what to look out for. Report any remarkable numbers of… […]
…I am leaving this position to start training as a science/biology teacher, in order to have a greater influence on people’s love and understanding of the natural world. Those of you who read this probably don’t need to be encouraged to enjoy and learn about wildlife, but far too many adults don’t care about nature and don’t engage with it…. […]
…keep an eye out for any buds on trees – this could be a sign that a squirrel (or other animal) has beat you to the fruit first. Additional useful links If you just can’t learn enough about Britain’s native and non-native trees, you can find out more information by following the links below. Happy tree ID-ing everyone! https://forestryandland.gov.scot/learn/trees https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/… […]
