WILD THING

WILD THING The red squirrel

Help protect our squirrels this winter, says Brian Pike

ed squirrels have been driven to extinction in most of the UK but fortunately they can still be seen in Wensleydale, where they appear to have started spreading westwards from the Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve near Hawes.

Squirrels don’t hibernate in winter. However they do spend a lot longer sleeping – as much as 20 hours a day – and will stay snug in their nests (known as ‘dreys’) when the weather is particularly harsh. During milder conditions they will be out and about foraging and retrieving the nuts, seeds and fungi they cached during the autumn.

If you live in a part of the Dales where red squirrels are regularly sighted, why not consider giving them a helping hand this winter? Squirrel feeders are widely available nowadays, and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust advises filling them with a mix of hazelnuts (in their shells), walnuts, and small quantities of unsalted peanuts and sunflower seeds. Apples and carrots will be welcomed too, as will a source of clean, fresh water.

Don’t overdo it with the food, though: providing small amounts twice a week is the ideal. It’s important that these charming little animals continue to forage for themselves and don’t become entirely dependent on human intervention.

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