Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is a partnership project that is working to ensure red squirrels continue to be a part of Scotland’s special native wildlife. With the help of partners, landowners and local volunteers, the project is monitoring squirrel numbers across Scotland, managing the impact of squirrelpox, and helping to combat the spread of grey squirrels in key strategic areas, including the borders and south of Scotland, Tayside, Argyll and the Trossachs, and the northeast.
Red squirrels are hugely important to local communities across Scotland. They are valued for the contribution they make to the local economy as a recognised attraction for tourists across the country, and they are also an important species for conservation and scientific communities, as evidenced by its inclusion in targeted action plans and conservation strategies and identification as a species in need of support.
Although once widespread, there are now only around 160,000 red squirrels remaining across the UK, over 75% of which are found here in Scotland. However, their numbers have fallen drastically in recent decades. This is largely due the spread of the non-native grey squirrel, which was first introduced from North America in the late 1800s. Grey squirrels also carry squirrelpox, a virus that doesn’t harm them but is lethal to reds. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels was formed to reverse this decline. By encouraging community action in monitoring, surveying, and controlling grey squirrel populations, increasing public awareness, and connecting more people with nature, SSRS can help to ensure red squirrels continue to have a home in Scotland.
SSRS has spent the last five years helping landowners access Scottish Rural Development Programme funding to support grey squirrel control. They have also involved hundreds of landowners and households in trap-loan, surveying, monitoring and other volunteer opportunities. SSRS have also engaged thousands of members of the public through outreach efforts, education events, and squirrel sightings on their Community Hub.