Community action in Galloway

…better if you have any group members with a firearm, a licence and plenty of patience. Fortunately we have one such person – our secret weapon! Most of our grey sightings are one-offs, and we suspect these are recent arrivals still on the move. They are like ghosts and defy all control efforts, probably because they have already left before… […]

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Reviewing the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation

  What would the full recovery of Scotland’s red squirrel population look like? This is the question being tackled by the Scottish Squirrel Group, a multi-disciplinary group convened by NatureScot and made up of key Government agencies, land owners and managers, volunteer groups, researchers and academics, and environmental NGOs in order to revise the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation… […]

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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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Hawick, Selkirk and Denholm Red Squirrel Network – One Year Later

Elizabeth’s jubilee celebration held on Denholm Green, where our giant mascots, Hazel Spartacus McNutt (the name having been chosen by children from the local primary school) and Amber, were loved by all. We have also taken part in various Christmas events and have delivered presentations about our work at local village halls and community centres. Attending such events not only… […]

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Join the Hub

…to protect local red squirrel populations. Registered users can keep track of their squirrel sightings, and join a local red squirrel network to connect with others in your area. Once you have become a Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels volunteer you’ll also be able to use the Hub to access training resources and materials and submit and view your data online…. […]

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Knowledge Fair – celebrating five years of community action

…Pine martens and squirrels – Dr Emma Sheehy, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Session Q&A     SATURDAY 4 DECEMBER   Session 1: Celebrating Community Action Grey squirrel control and the SSRS trap loan scheme – James Kennedy, SSRS Grey Squirrel Officer Woodland management and the Forestry Grant Scheme – Colin Edwards, Scottish Forestry Landowner Story: Argaty Red Kites – Mary-Anne… […]

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North East towns at the forefront of efforts to save Scotland’s red squirrels

…The grey squirrel is an invasive species that was introduced to Britain from North America. They out-compete red squirrels for food and living space and some also carry squirrelpox, a virus that doesn’t harm grey squirrels but is deadly to reds. Grey squirrels were first introduced to Aberdeen in the 1970s, rapidly spreading throughout the city and into surrounding Aberdeenshire,… […]

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Celebrating a red squirrel champion

…to raise awareness of the plight of the red squirrel and inspire others to take action in and around Gatehouse through social media and public engagement. Over 20 households undertake monthly garden counts, which encourage people to take a close look and enjoy their visitors on a daily basis. This is a simple citizen science project which allows the group… […]

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News: Red letter day – Plean’s first red squirrel entered home through letterbox

…absence, we’ve also had recent sightings in Dunblane and Doune. Stirlingshire is an important area for red squirrel conservation because it is on the boundary between Scotland’s core red squirrel populations in the Highlands and the populations of grey squirrels that are found across the Central Belt. Grey squirrels are a non-native invasive species that was introduced to Britain from… […]

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This Year's Sightings