Gatehouse Squirrel Group

If you are interested in actively helping the native red squirrel population around Gatehouse of Fleet to survive and prosper, there are a number of ways in which you could assist us: · Report your sightings of red and grey squirrels · Help with special surveys of particular areas · Keep track of squirrels visiting your garden feeders · Check traps daily during grey squirrel control operations · Train to become registered as a grey squirrel controller · Help out at show stalls to promote our cause and publicise our activities · Give presentations or run activities to raise awareness for any age-group · Keep the group running smoothly The Gatehouse Squirrel Group was founded in early 2015, in response to local interest and a perceived increase in grey squirrel sightings. By then, some greys carrying the squirrelpox virus, which is lethal to reds, had been detected in Dalbeattie, New Galloway and Newton Stewart. In 2019 there were cases of this disease in reds near Kirkcudbright and two miles west of Gatehouse at Skyreburn, as well as several earlier outbreaks further east along the Solway Coast. At this point the threat to our reds became very real. We are set up as a project under the Gatehouse Development Initiative (a registered SCIO: http://www.gatehouse-of-fleet.co.uk/index.php/community-3/gatehouse-development-initiative) which provides us with proxy banking facilities and charitable status. We work with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/), a national conservation project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. We also belong to the Red Squirrel Forum for South Scotland, together with the 16 other squirrel groups and networks currently operating across Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders. Our logo (above) is shared with three other groups based in the Glenkens, Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright, as we have all previously been supported by the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership funded by the National Lottery. The limits of our own area run along the coast of Wigtown Bay from the Carrick Shore to Creetown, inland to the Fleet Valley Viaduct and on towards the villages of Laurieston, Ringford, Twynholm and Borgue. Our network of over 100 people is active in reporting sightings of both red and grey squirrels to the national database via https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/. We are always keen to attract more people to our cause, especially in outlying rural spots. To get more a more detailed picture in particular woods, we use feeding hoppers equipped with sticky pads under their flip-up lids to collect hairs from visiting squirrels. Red and grey squirrel hairs (and those of pine martens) can be distinguished under a microscope. We also use trailcams (aka wildlife cameras or camera traps) to monitor activity at hoppers. Once set up, these surveys are not labour intensive. A monthly census of reds feeding in more than 25 people’s gardens in and around Gatehouse has been running since January 2017. This involves recording the maximum number of reds seen at once in each month, as well as the number that are individually recognisable (sometimes aided by the use of a trailcam). Both these measures peak in spring and summer, when breeding is in progress but (enigmatically) natural food is in short supply. This suggests that providing food for reds draws them in and may improve their breeding performance. Our results from this survey suggest that the red population around Gatehouse is relatively stable, despite more grey records and several proven squirrelpox cases, particularly in 2020-21. We are always looking for more people to join this garden monitoring scheme, which will certainly encourage you to take a much closer look at your regular squirrel visitors! Greys visiting hoppers or bird feeders in gardens are of concern because they may be carrying the squirrelpox virus on their skin and in their saliva (although they are not all carriers). Virus particles may therefore be left on surfaces subsequently touched by reds, giving rise to infections. We therefore recommend regular misting of feeders with Virkon-STM (a viral disinfectant) in an effort to reduce disease transmission and provide detailed instructions for its use. When we receive reports of greys, we attempt to remove them quickly by either trapping or shooting. We have accredited dispatchers for greys caught in live-traps, and other people are licenced and insured to shoot greys in the open. These activities can only take place with the landowner’s permission. We would be very interested in hearing from you if you could assist us with grey control, regardless of any previous experience: training is available. You could help in any case by hosting live-traps on your property and alerting us to captures so that we can ten attend if required. There is increasing evidence of pine martens in our area, over 40 years after this threatened native carnivore was reintroduced into the Galloway Forest Park just to the north of our area. There is strong scientific evidence from Ireland and elsewhere in Scotland that they can depress grey populations whilst allowing reds to re-establish in areas from which they have disappeared. It appears that the speed and agility of reds enables them to avoid capture by martens much more effectively than the larger and slower greys. Our extensive local areas of oak-hazel woodland constitute excellent grey squirrel habitat, whilst reds are at a disadvantage in such places because a diet rich in acorns is toxic for them. So, we are working closely with the Dumfries and Galloway Pine Marten Group in providing den boxes to encourage martens to live and breed in our area. Hopefully this will help to control the greys and thereby save our reds. Raising public awareness of the many issues surrounding red squirrel conservation remains an important task for us. For instance, many people do not appreciate the threat posed to our native red by the introduced American grey squirrel. We run stalls at local summer galas and agricultural shows to spread the word and can always do with more help at these events. We also give illustrated talks to various audiences whenever invited. Going forward we would like to develop activities for the young, both in and out of school. And just running the group takes time, so any assistance with this would also be appreciated. Please get in touch if you would like to help us with any of our activities, thereby helping to saving our reds for all to enjoy seeing in future. Last updated (6 August 2024)