Conservation & FAQs

Conservation

& FAQs

The Red Squirrel is one of Britain’s most iconic and beloved mammals. Red Squirrels are the native squirrel species to the UK, and as such have evolved alongside our other native species and woodland habitats.

Reds are now sadly under threat in the UK – largely due to the introduction of the non-native, invasive, Grey Squirrel from North America in the 19th century.

The Red Squirrel South-West project is committed to the restoration and protection of Red Squirrels in the South-West of England.

Red Squirrels

The Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is the UK’s only native squirrel and has become one of the most beloved mascots of British wildlife. They are naturally found across most of Europe and part of Asia, but are unfortunately now under threat in the UK, Ireland and Italy. Habitat loss poses a threat towards the species as a whole, but the introduction of the North American Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America to the UK and Ireland has shown to have the largest impact on the Red population. The population in Great Britain is down to an estimated 287,000 for Reds compared to an estimated 2,700,000 for Greys (https://squirrelaccord.uk/ecology/) – and Reds now risk extinction. As a result of this, Red Squirrels are classed as a priority species in the UK and are protected under law.

Red Squirrels are tree squirrels, preferring to spend the majority of their time in the canopy, and are found in mixed broadleaf and coniferous woodlands. They have a varied diet which includes seeds, nuts, buds, flowers, fruit and even occasionally insects and eggs! Although they do not hibernate, they have been known to store – or cache – more food ready for the winter and periods where food is harder to get. They will also spend more time in their nests, known as dreys, when the weather is unfavourable.

Famous for their ‘tufty’ ears, their coats actually change throughout the year. Colourings can differ from a bright ginger in the summer to a dark brown in the winter, with some even dropping their ear tufts when changing to their summer coat.

Reds live to around 5-6 years in the wild and sometimes longer in captivity. Reds can start reproducing after the first year with the breeding season being between March-July. Successful individuals can have 2 litters a year, averaging 2-3 babies, known as kittens, but some having as many as 6 in a litter!

Threats

Since 1870, when the Grey Squirrel was introduced to Britain from North America, the Red Squirrel population has dropped from an estimated 3.5 million to around 287,000.

Greys are a threat to Reds for a number of reasons.

  1. Grey Squirrels carry the squirrelpox virus, to which they themselves are immune, but is fatal to Reds.
  2. Greys are able to digest unripe foods such as acorns, something that Reds are unable to do. This means that food sources are taken by the Grey Squirrels before they are able to be reached by the Reds.
  3. When put under pressure, such as loss of territory and food sources, Red Squirrels do not breed.

Red Squirrels have also suffered from habitat loss. Areas in which woodland has been destroyed or fragmented due to development has taken away the Red Squirrel’s natural home. This leads to fewer opportunities to nest and forage, making it harder for Reds to thrive in the wild. Combining this issue with the competition from Greys and the squirrelpox virus, it is extremely difficult to sustain viable Red Squirrel populations in large areas of the UK and Ireland without intervention.

Grey Squirrels In Our Woodlands

Grey Squirrels are not just a threat to Reds, they also raid bird nests, taking eggs and nestlings. Research has suggested that the Greys have played a role in an 85% decline of spotted flycatchers in the last 50 years and 57% decline of wood warblers in the last 23 years.

Greys cause considerable damage to broadleaf woods by bark stripping. This action kills or deforms the tree and leads to the destruction of woodland and a loss of timber value. The European Squirrel Initiative has shown that Greys cost the forestry industry in excess of £40 million per year through tree damage. Other estimates put that figure even higher. Visit our dedicated Grey Squirrel Tree Damage page here.

Latest figures show a hectare of undamaged 150-year-old oak is currently estimated to value at around £54,370/ha, compared with a hectare of Grey Squirrel damaged 150-year-old oak valued at £7140/ha where squirrels have not been controlled – a difference of £47,230!

Greys are especially concerning to The National Forest due to their specific targeting of Oak – the tree that makes up a large proportion of our woodlands. They will also target; Beech, Field Maple, Hornbeam, Silver Birch, Sweet Chestnut, Sycamore and Willow, amongst others!

The UK Squirrel Accord has produced an educational video regarding the issues and solutions of bark stripping:

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) have published a grey squirrel policy statement for England which can be found here.

Grey Squirrel Control

There are estimated to be 2.7 million Grey Squirrels throughout Great Britain.

Many individuals, landowners, organisations, and volunteers already control Greys in the South-West area. Through monitoring populations and targeted control, we can help restore our biodiversity.

By creating a network of likeminded people controlling Grey Squirrel numbers we will be able to restore our woodlands and provide a safe environment to reintroduce the Red Squirrel in the South-West.

FAQs

The British Red Squirrel website provides a very useful map to view the best places to find wild or captive Red Squirrels across the UK, and also provides information about local Red Squirrel conservation/Grey Squirrel control groups and projects. You can view this map here.

Unfortunately Greys and Reds are unable to co-exist.

This is largely due to the squirrelpox virus (SQPV) for which Grey Squirrels are carriers. The virus does not harm Grey Squirrels but it is sadly fatal to Red Squirrels. Reds and Greys do not have to come into direct contact for the virus to spread, Red Squirrels can contract SQPV simply through sharing feeders or woodlands that are also used by Greys.

Grey Squirrels also outcompete Reds for territory and food, making it impossible for Reds to survive and thrive in Grey inhabited areas.

As an invasive species, Grey Squirrels cause more threat to the environment than the native Reds, likely because the Greys did not evolve within our ecosystems, and therefore native tree species are not able to withstand the extent of the Greys bark-stripping habits.

Grey Squirrels are also larger, more robust, and live in higher densities than our native Red Squirrels, and as a result will unfortunately have a much larger detrimental impact on our woodland habitats.

Currently there is a 5-year project being conducted by the UK Squirrel Accord (UKSA) and Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA), developing a fertility treatment for Grey Squirrels. While this research is ongoing, previous studies have shown that oral contraceptives have been successful with rats.

It is worth noting however that these non-lethal methods are designed to be used alongside other existing types of control in order to be fully effective, and are therefore not sufficient to be used as a standalone method.

More information about the progress of the fertility control research can be found on the UK Squirrel Accord website.

A ‘Non-Native’ species is one that has been introduced to an area it is not indigenous to and would not naturally belong to – almost always as a result of human actions (either intended or accidental). A non-native species could be harmless to the environment it is introduced to.

While an ‘Invasive’ species is a non-native species that does cause damage and threat to its introduced environment and to the native species found there.

The Grey Squirrel is classed as an invasive species, and it is therefore illegal to transport or release one once caught in a trap/captured – the release of invasive species is banned by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on the grounds that they cause “severe problems for native animals and the environment”.

There is significant research from areas such as Ireland and Scotland showing that Grey Squirrel populations have declined as a result of Pine Marten reintroductions, which provides some hope for Red Squirrel numbers in these areas. Pine Martens act as a ‘biological control’ of Grey Squirrels as they predate upon them. For more information about Pine Martens, and the upcoming reintroduction of Pine Martens to the South-West, visit the Two Moors Pine Marten Project pages on the Devon Wildlife Trust website.

As with all research the investigation is still ongoing, but we are hopeful for some positive news that could help to aid the recovery of Red Squirrel populations!

If you think you have had a Red Squirrel sighting, please try to snap a photo and send it to us at admin@redsquirrelsouthwest.org.uk. It is important that anyone who thinks they may have seen a Red Squirrel reports their sighting – these can sometimes be escapees from local captive collections.

It is worth remembering that there are currently no established wild populations of Red Squirrels on the mainland in the South-West. The colour of a squirrels coat can change throughout the year, with Grey Squirrels sometimes sporting very reddish/ginger patches and Red Squirrels developing a grey tinge.

However, if you are unsure on which species of squirrel you have seen, please feel free to send us the details of your sighting!