Coronavirus: Temporary suspension of SSRS non-essential volunteer work

  Following the latest government guidelines, it has been agreed between Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels and the Scottish Wildlife Trust that all volunteer work, with the exception of essential grey squirrel control volunteers, will be temporarily suspended with immediate effect.   As we prepare for mainland Scotland to transition into Tier 4 restrictions from Saturday 26 December onwards, we are… […]

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Grey squirrel control: connecting the dots

…volunteer you’ll have received a copy of this protocol as part of your training, alongside all other essential health & safety documentation. It’s a good idea to look over these regularly, and the easiest way to keep up-to-date is by joining the SSRS Community Hub. There you’ll find all the latest versions of grey squirrel control documentation, as well as… […]

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Publications

Publications   Guidelines and Advice Priority Areas for Red Squirrel Conservation (PARCs) in South Scotland Supplementary Feeding of Red Squirrels Red Squirrel Post Mortems Red Squirrel Road Warning Signs in Scotland Red Squirrel Leprosy Use of Virkon for Disinfecting Squirrel Feeders   Reports Saving an Icon – DCA Final Report 2017-2022 Squirrelpox Detection in the Central Lowlands 2017-2020 2019 Spring… […]

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The Story of Rusty the Red

…days went by. We began to wean him after a couple of weeks, using reduced sugar Farleys Rusks in kitten milk to start with, then offering a selection of different foods such as pine nuts, hazelnuts, broccoli, and a rat/mouse mix. Twice a week he had a couple of drops of Abidec childrens multivitamin, which he took willingly. He became… […]

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Community action in Galloway

…one autumn squirrelpox struck, and they were all gone in a few weeks. So we had to move, didn’t we… Before coming to Galloway, I was on the Biology staff at Newcastle University, where I lectured for years on conservation biology, including the devastating worldwide effects of invasive species introductions. It was natural, therefore, for me to work for more… […]

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Winter’s Squirrels

Original Author: Steve Willis, Project Officer North-east Scotland Winter is here! What does it all mean for red squirrels? The temperature is dropping all across Scotland and many parts of the country have had their first snow falls. How does this change in the season affect the red squirrel? Like us, they experience shorter days and much cooler temperatures.  … […]

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Pine martens: a natural ally

for the pine martens to save. Don’t pine martens eat red squirrels too? Yes, but both are native Scottish species, adapted to live together as part of a balanced woodland ecosystem. Although sad for the individual squirrel, the level of predation on reds does not appear to negatively affect their populations in the long term. However, it should be pointed… […]

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See you in a few years…

…colleagues and working in one of the most accessible scenic areas in Scotland: Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (www.lochlomond-trossachs.org). Along with all of my red squirrel friends (and grey squirrel “enemies”…), I have seen an amazing variety of wildlife, including: otters, pine marten, red deer, roe deer, goosanders, ravens, and even a slow worm in this poor summer…. […]

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An Autumn Overview of Tree ID

…out those binoculars. Starting with any fallen leaves… what sort of shape is it? Does it have a smooth, lobed or serrated edge? Is it textured at all? You may also find fallen cones, fruits, nuts, twigs or branches on the ground that can inch you closer and closer to making a positive ID. Always remember however, that all of… […]

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This Year's Sightings