r
Pets&Wildlife
SEEING RED Red squirrels were the UK’s native species until the introduction of their grey cousins all but wiped them out, leaving just a few sanctuaries where they still thrive – including one in the Shire patch
T
here are two species of squirrel in the UK, red squirrels and grey squirrels. The population of reds is currently estimated at just 140,000 compared to 2.5 million grey – although red squirrels lived here for around 10,000 years before their grey cousins were introduced from North America by the Victorians in the 1800s. Colonies of red squirrels once thrived across Shropshire and Cheshire, but sadly they were wiped out by the spread of their counterparts in the 1970s. But there is one spot in Wales where they are doing well, thanks to local wildlife schemes and the hard work of the Woodland Trust – Anglesey. The island is a red squirrel “Anglesey success story. As part of a is a success restoration project, grey squirrels story, home have been cleared from its to as many woodland and the population of reds has been boosted. Thought as 700 red to number just 40 individuals less squirrels” than 20 years ago, it is now home to as many as 700 red squirrels.
Not out of the woods yet
The flash of a red squirrel leaping from branch to branch is an unforgettable and increasingly rare sight in the UK’s woods. There is a confirmed population in Formby and occasional reports of sightings in other areas of England. In Scotland, in many cases, red squirrels have retreated to wilder, more remote locations. Unfortunately, without conservation management, they could become extinct in England in as little as 10 years. Time is really running out to save this childhood favourite with its familiar bushy tail. The red squirrel is famed for its orange-red fur but is actually quite Anglesey is a conservation success story variable in colour, ranging
DID YOU KNOW? Squirrels communicate by twitching their tails!
from vivid ginger to dark brown. In winter, the fur is often tinged with grey, and large tufts develop above the ears. Red squirrels have a large tail that is almost as long as their body. They rely on trees for their food, with their diet mainly made up of seeds and nuts. Pine seeds are a particular favourite, but they will also take hazelnuts and the seeds of larch and spruce. Tree shoots, bark, lichen and fungi are other sources of Th er fuel, along with fruit. Young ed birds and eggs may be scavenged but this is rare. In autumn, squirrels will bury seeds and nuts, ready to be eaten when food is scarce. They do not hibernate, although they may be less active in winter.
Against the odds
If you do head to Anglesey to try and spot a red squirrel, the best time to go is in autumn, when they are busy preparing their winter larder. Be prepared to look up, as they spend far less of their time at ground level than their grey counterparts. Red squirrels have undergone one of the most drastic declines of all UK mammals as they just don’t have the survival skills of their grey cousins. The larger greys are able to outcompete reds and they also carry the squirrelpox virus, which they are immune to but which is fatal to red squirrels. The Woodland Trust is helping to conserve the red squirrel by protecting its habitat, supporting grey squirrel management in red squirrel areas and by backing research that suggests the recovery of pine martens could help boost red squirrel numbers by reversing the spread of invasive greys. www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
88 SHIRE MAGAZINE | January/February 2022
Pets&Wildlife Jan Feb 2022 FINAL.indd 119
23/12/2021 15:47
