Killing grey squirrels only solution, says head of cull

Published on Sunday 26 July 2009 22:15

THE head of a project that kills grey squirrels has defended the tactic as the only viable option to stop the native red species disappearing from Scotland.

Dr Mel Tomkin, project manager for Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels, said she wanted to "set the record straight" after plans to kill grey squirrels in Aberdeen sparked a strong reaction.

She said: "Our critics may claim that it is not necessary to control greys to save the red squirrel, and that the reds can be saved through other solutions such as habitat management. If this were the case, we would certainly not be embarking on our planned course of action.

"There are no viable alternative solutions to saving the red squirrel in Scotland at this time."

She added that to do nothing would "certainly consign our native squirrel decline towards virtual extinction in Scotland".

Her comments came as a new red squirrel officer was appointed for the North-east.

The spread of non-native grey squirrels is putting reds at risk. They carry a deadly pox that leaves them unharmed but kills their red cousins.