Great Scottish Squirrel Survey

the situation. What makes the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey so great is that anyone can take part from anywhere in Scotland. Areas of known squirrel territory are equally important as those where few squirrels have been seen before. You can view all our previous sightings records here. Last year over 650 people reported 790 squirrel sightings in just one week…. […]

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Red Squirrel Rambles

…Find a route near you by downloading the ‘myGeoAdventure’ app for free from the Apple Store and through Google Play. The app currently includes the following Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels walking routes, which you can find by searching ‘Red Squirrel Ramble’. If you have issues with the myGeoAdventure app or your myGeoAdventure account, please contact the app developers directly.  … […]

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News: Moffat’s red squirrels and golden eagles team up to give native wildlife a boost

…of golden eagles in the south of Scotland. Since 2018, the project has doubled the population of golden eagles in the south of Scotland, through a series of translocations. As they settle into their new home, the young golden eagle juveniles initially require help to feed. Cat Barlow, Project Manager for the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project explains: “We… […]

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Introducing the newest faces of our scurry

…of grey squirrels in South Kincardineshire. Emma will be based out of one of our project partner offices in the City once restrictions ease. Contact: esheehy@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk   Katie Berry: Project Administrator Katie came into post just as the initial lockdown began in March and has been providing support to the whole SSRS team, partners, stakeholders and volunteers right across Scotland… […]

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News: Suspected squirrelpox outbreak near Lockerbie threatens local red squirrel population

…vulnerable time for red squirrels, as they prepare for the upcoming mating season and increase contact with one another. We have deployed our emergency squirrelpox outbreak response measures, and as such locals can expect to see an increased staff and volunteer presence in the area as we increase grey control efforts in the region in a bid to stem the […]

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For nature, go native

  Research carried out in Northern Ireland has highlighted the importance of native woodland for the long-term protection of red squirrels. The research modelled red squirrel populations in non-native conifer forests with the presence of pine martens— a natural predator to the red squirrel in both Scotland and Northern Ireland. Pine martens had been persecuted to near-extinction in Scotland, but… […]

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News: Public squirrel sightings soar in 2023

…city and its outskirts. In the South of Scotland a mix of the two species remain, with volunteer groups working hard to lower grey densities in the region. Grey squirrels were introduced to Scotland in Victorian times and have since replaced the native red squirrel in many parts of the country. They out-compete reds for food and living space and… […]

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News: Get involved in Scotland’s fifth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is calling on people in Scotland to take part in the fifth nationwide Great Scottish Squirrel Survey between 2-8 October (National Red Squirrel Week). Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, working in priority areas to protect red squirrels from the spread of the invasive non-native grey squirrel…. […]

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Great Scottish Squirrel Survey 2021: the results

…across the country, reporting an incredible 1549 sightings in just one week.     We were particularly keen to see this year’s results due to the impact Covid-19 has had on our annual Spring Survey, which has been cancelled for the past two years. More detailed analysis is ongoing, but the overall distribution of red and grey squirrels across the […]

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This Year's Sightings