…staggering 94% decline in native water vole populations? The American skunk-cabbage plant does actually smell as bad as a skunk…. White butterburr was imported as a garden ornamental from mainland Europe and SW Asia and escaped into the wild. What is an Invasive Species? There are around 2,000 non-native plants and animals in the UK, these non-native species… […]
…of bait out in the hope of a few squirrels or maybe even a marten. The very first thing to find the bait was a marten! Then by day there were heaps of squirrels. See this link for a cool video of what is known, technically speaking, as a scurry of squirrels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rik6pGV0KlI All very nice, but imagine Gus’ surprise… […]
…Assessment followed. Volunteers can now undertake operational survey work, which was previously suspended All face to face training activities can now recommence, including trail camera and operational survey training for volunteers In-person Volunteer Network Group meetings can now commence, adhering to Government guidelines on meeting others indoors or outdoors Leaflet drops are now permitted for volunteers As highlighted in our… […]
…greys from a stronghold increases as the habitat quality in the woodland within and surrounding the stronghold improves. Model predictions indicating the percentage chance of ‘seropositive’ (squirreplox carrying) greys squirrels in Scotland that would occur without grey squirrel control. Today the threat of squirrelpox outbreaks is still restricted to the south. Managing squirrelpox in South Scotland For the… […]
Saving Scotland Red Squirrels: Developing Community Action ran from 2017 – 2022. One of the aims of this phase of the project was to set up and equip a network of volunteer groups in South Scotland capable of independently taking forward red squirrel conservation in the region. As such, in April 2022, 13 of the Red Squirrel Networks in… […]
The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) is an important piece of UK-wide legislation that protects some of our most vulnerable species, including red squirrels. Under Schedule 5 of this law it is illegal to intentionally kill, harm or disturb a red squirrel; a vital asset in our efforts to save them. A review being led by the UK… […]
…are being pushed out of this area. With greys gone, reds are moving south, from their heartlands further north, and recolonising this part of Scotland. In these troubled times, when so much of our native wildlife is in steep decline, red squirrels in central Scotland present a rare success story. Once I finish writing this blog I will shut the… […]
Following the latest government guidelines, it has been agreed between Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels and the Scottish Wildlife Trust that all red squirrel outdoor volunteer work will be temporarily suspended with immediate effect. This means that all registered Scottish Wildlife Trust volunteers carrying out grey squirrel control and/or survey work on behalf of Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels should… […]
