Conservation

Red Squirrels

Protect red squirrels by keeping reds and greys apart and by reducing grey numbers.
Assist the reds in areas where red squirrel population numbers have stabilised or are increasing.
Establish new red colonies across the UK where feasible.
Fund research on how to secure the red squirrel’s long-term future.
Raise awareness of the plight of reds in the UK.

Grey squirrel control through trapping & shooting (which also reduces the substantial bark stripping damage done by grey squirrels each year).
Camera monitoring and supplementary feeding of red squirrel populations.
Controlled buffer zones around areas where red squirrels are present.
Encouragement of natural predation (e.g. re-introduction of the pine marten).
Designing and managing forests via tree species composition and age structure to favour red squirrels rather than greys.
Capture and translocation under licence of red squirrels from existing red strongholds to re-populate previously occupied prime habitat that is free from greys.
Captive breeding and release of reds as part of a reinforcement or re-introduction project.

An immunocontraceptive that can be taken orally by grey squirrels using bait delivered through a suitable species-specific feeder. The Animal & Plant Health Agency who are running this project believe it could reduce grey numbers by as much as 90%.
Gene therapy / DNA editing to breed infertility into female grey squirrels to reduce their numbers.

Don’t hesitate to ask us something. Email us directly caldewsquirrels@gmail.com or call us at 07542 191 865