Red squirrels have been part of Scotland’s native wildlife for over 10,000 years, but without ongoing action, their future is at risk. We continue to work alongside local communities, landowners, partners and volunteers to protect these vulnerable creatures in the areas they need us most.
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Red squirrels were once the only squirrel species in the UK. The introduction, and rapid spread, of non-native greys now poses a very serious threat to reds' survival. Greys are larger, outcompete reds for food and shelter, and can carry squirrelpox; a virus to which greys are immune but is lethal to reds. We've made significant progress in securing a future for red squirrels, but our work is ongoing and cannot pause - further incursions of greys could have a devastating impact.
80% of the UK’s remaining red squirrel population is found in Scotland. With your help, we can protect this surviving group, and return red squirrels to the areas where they once thrived. This work is a conservation priority, and will include slowing the spread of squirrelpox by controlling grey squirrel numbers. Rapid response monitoring, Citizen Science analysis, expanding our staff and volunteer teams and working with highly trained detection dogs will all support this work.
