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What's the problem?

The biggest threat to the continued existence of our native red squirrel is the non-native grey squirrel.

Read about the problem below...

Destructive

The threat to the economy
It is estimated that grey squirrels have cost the British economy £14 million per annum according to a study published by the international scientific organisation CABI for DEFRA, Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly – The Economic Cost of Invasive Non-Native Species on Great Britain.

Grey squirrels strip the bark from young trees so that they can feed on the sap beneath. This can kill the trees but also damages timber through allowing disease to develop where the bark is removed.

In addition, grey squirrels can cause damage to housing (when occupying the roof space).

Squirrel pox

  • Viral infection carried on the skin and in the saliva of grey squirrels

  • Doesn’t harm greys but deadly for red squirrels

  • Causes scabs around the eyes, nose, mouth, ears and genitals, as well as swollen feet

  • Infected red squirrels progressively become sluggish and cannot eat or drink sufficiently

  • Red squirrels usually die less than 15 days after infection.

Squirrelpox3-c-William-Lee-square-768x769.jpg

It has been estimated that the rate of replacement of reds by greys is accelerated by a factor of 25 if the virus is present. Not all greys carry the virus, but once a red is infected it becomes a potent source of the virus, which can then spread to other reds in the area, causing a local epidemic. 

If you manage to capture a sick red squirrel, please immediately take to a vet. They may treat it if their diagnosis allows, but if they suspect squirrelpox the kindest action is euthanasia. In this case, please encourage them to submit the carcase for post mortem investigations at Edinburgh University (c/o Easter Bush Pathology, 0131 651 7458, ebp.enquiries@ed.ac.uk).

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