…the survey, our third highest year since they began collecting public squirrel sightings in 2010. The highest year to date was in 2020 when 3000 sightings were recorded during the survey, and 22,772 were recorded overall. Programme Manager Nicole Still said: “Public sightings play an essential role in informing and directing our strategic efforts. Whilst we recognise 2020 was an… […]
…the opportunity to get to know their local patch of nature. However, clearly many people have caught the squirrel-spotting bug as we have still received more than 13,000 sightings to our website so far this year. Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in our citizen science campaign, and to all the organisations, community groups and volunteers… […]
…single, accidental, introduction event in 1971. Within a few decades, grey squirrels replaced red squirrels throughout Aberdeen city. As their numbers increased they also spread into rural areas along the Dee, beyond Banchory, and the Don, as far as Inverurie, posing a threat to the red squirrels in wider Aberdeenshire and to nearby populations in Moray and the Highlands. SSRS… […]
…you are a member of an independent volunteer group in the south of Scotland you can access additional Hub features by joining your local network group (you’ll need to register to create an account first). Once you have joined someone will be in touch to discuss your volunteering role, or add you to the private grey squirrel control and/or survey… […]
If you are volunteering your time to help with grey squirrel control in your local patch, you might feel like your efforts are a drop in the ocean. But stay connected with the project and you’ll see the difference we can make when we all work together. The greatest threat to the red squirrel’s future in Scotland is… […]
…and the wall. This winter another was seen feeding on peanuts beside our visitor centre, several hundred metres from the nearest tree. They are regularly seen in our neighbours’ gardens too, pilfering the nuts left out for the birds. Truly, theirs has been the most remarkable recovery. Red squirrels on Argaty © Lynn Bowser Their comeback is not… […]
…this iconic species. A total of 659 people took part in the survey, with 255 grey squirrel and 510 red squirrel sightings reported in total, more than triple the number of sightings reported in a typical week. The survey confirmed that the red-only population of the Highlands remains safe and free of grey squirrels thanks to efforts by staff protecting… […]
…the wider Aberdeenshire countryside, further threatening important red squirrel populations in Grampian and the Highlands. Grey Squirrel © Nicola Nuttall Larger and more productive than their red counterparts, grey squirrels can rapidly out-compete red squirrels for food and living space, making it difficult for the native species to successfully breed and for their young to survive. Because of… […]
…December volunteer announcement, grey squirrel control volunteers can continue their work in the field We ask those looking to return to volunteering, to be proactive in monitoring changing Covid-19 guidelines in your local authority area, by regularly visiting https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/. Prior to commencing any new activities, a Covid-19 Risk Assessment will need to be reviewed. This can be accessed through… […]
…Location flexible within or near the Blairgowrie-Coupar Angus to Forfar area. Region: Tayside Contract: 35 hours – Full Time, Fixed term (ASAP – 31 August 2022) Closing date: 20 March 2022 The post will contribute to the project’s co-ordinated landscape-scale approach to reduce grey squirrel numbers in the target area of Strathmore, thus preventing grey squirrel dispersal into southern Aberdeenshire…. […]
