…Let’s make this year’s survey even greater! Report your sighting Kids worksheet Find out more Why do we need this data? SSRS has been collecting public squirrel sightings since 2010, last year we received a massive 10,484 sightings with the help of the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey, giving us our third highest recording year to date. The data… […]
…it’s next steps! APPLY NOW Advocacy Officer Location: Leith Region: Nationwide Contract: Fixed term for 2 years Closing date: 20 March 2022 The successful candidate will undertake species advocacy work for the Trust with a particular focus on Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris and Sciurus carolinensis) and Eurasian Beavers (Castor fiber) and develop policy briefings to support this work. APPLY NOW… […]
North East Scotland Eradicating grey squirrels and bringing red squirrels back to the parks and gardens of Aberdeen The grey squirrel population in Aberdeen city is considered an “island population” due to it’s geographic and genetic isolation from the rest of mainland Britain’s grey squirrel population. The species was introduced to Aberdeen city in what is believed to be a… […]
…why they moult so early. Dr Mel Tonkin, formerly Project Manager of SSRS was studying wild red squirrels in the 1980’s and didn’t see any evidence of moulting this early. Is it an effect of climate change causing the squirrels’ food sources to grow earlier in the season, or perhaps the increased feeding in people’s gardens of foods that squirrels… […]
…issuing new guidance with immediate effect. Grey squirrel control volunteers (including both trap-hosts and dispatchers) Registered Scottish Wildlife Trust volunteers undertaking grey squirrel control are able to continue with this essential work, provided that existing guidance (issued on 11/06/2020) is adhered to and a Covid-19 Risk Assessment has been completed and reviewed. The Covid-19 Risk Assessment can be accessed… […]
…have come together to protect their local red squirrels, with support from the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project. While the south of Scotland is home to healthy populations of red squirrels, they are seriously threatened by the spread of grey squirrels. Grey squirrels are an invasive species that out-competes native red squirrels for food and living space. They can also… […]
…is invariably fatal within two weeks. Just two years after the earliest evidence of the arrival of squirrelpox virus among the grey squirrel population of southern Scotland near Canonbie, red squirrels near Lockerbie succumbed to the first of several documented outbreaks of squirrelpox disease in the region’s red squirrels, ranging from Gatehouse-of-Fleet to Sanquhar, Moffat, Langholm, the Rule Valley near… […]
…crucial role you play in this ongoing battle to protect and restore a precious part of our natural heritage. This brings you all my warmest good wishes, together with every possible encouragement for the task ahead.” A copy of the letter can be seen on the Red Squirrel Survival Trust website via this link. Photograph © Sue Crawford… […]
