The first identified death of a red squirrel from squirrelpox virus north of Scotland’s Central Belt has been confirmed on the outskirts of Dunfermline, Fife. This news could have serious consequences for the area’s red squirrel populations, and people living in the region are urged to remain vigilant. The case was confirmed via post-mortem examination of a red squirrel… […]
…a recent report of a grey squirrel seen near Loch Katrine was worrying and surprising, as it has been a stronghold for red squirrels for many years, and is some distance from the nearest grey squirrel population. Swift action ensured that the squirrel was captured, and since then local people have kept a sharp eye out to make sure there… […]
As we celebrate the fifth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey (running from the 2nd – 8th October), when recording those all-important sightings, how can we ensure that the squirrels we’re spotting are indeed the species we believe? When a sighting is brief – perhaps seen from a moving vehicle, or a fleeting glimpse of a furry tail in a… […]
…whether they’re from your back garden or the wider countryside. Once verified these sightings will be added to the Scottish Squirrel Database, a national record of red and grey squirrel distributions which helps form the basis of our long-term plans for red squirrel conservation. National Red Squirrel Week 2024 marked our sixth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey. This citizen science… […]
After escaping a zoo enclosure in 1971, a small number of grey squirrels quickly gained a foothold in Aberde*]}*en. Since 2009, SSRS has worked with local partners to reduce grey squirrel population density and distribution in the north east. Our work to date has been very successful, and we are now aiming to completely eradicate grey squirrels from the north… […]
…previously occupied by grey squirrels. A comparison of the red and grey squirrel presence after 24 simulated years for different levels of grey squirrel control in Dumfries & Galloway. Grey squirrel control was simulated in the model in the areas indicated by the black rectangles. For more information on the modelling work and other strongholds in the Central… […]
