Island haven for reds to squirrel away

Published on Tuesday 24 March 2009 21:03

A SCOTTISH island is to be turned into a refuge for red squirrels to help them survive the onslaught from their grey cousins.

Arran is set to become a red squirrel "stronghold", along with 18 large areas of forest on mainland Scotland, to help protect their future.

It is hoped that creating havens will help the reds to thrive, away from the threat of grey squirrels – originally from America – which usually win the battle for food.

The greys also carry a pox that leaves them unharmed but is deadly to the reds.

Already they have advanced through much of the territory inhabited by reds in Scotland, making the native squirrel one of the most threatened animals in the UK.

Arran is the only Scottish island free from greys and home to a thriving population of reds.

Under plans by the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), out for consultation today, forestry workers and members of the public will keep watch to make sure greys do not establish themselves after finding their way there on vehicles.

And forests on the island and in other strongholds across Scotland will be managed so they are full of conifer species, which provide food for reds.

Tree species preferred by greys, such as oak, beech, chestnut and hazel, will not be planted, to discourage them from moving into the havens.

And any greys spotted in the strongholds will be trapped and killed.

In total, 100,000 hectares of forest across Scotland will be turned into habitat favoured by red squirrels.

Jo Ellis, species policy adviser at FCS, said: "There's a good chance of success. There is already evidence that reds and greys can live separately."

She said there was already a strong population of red squirrels on Arran, making it an ideal refuge.

"There are lots of good woods for red squirrels on Arran, and the sea, while not a perfect defence, is quite a good one," she said.

She added that she hoped there would not come a time when Arran became the last remaining stronghold for reds.

"It would be a shame to get to that situation because it's such a small island."

A mass cull of grey squirrels is being planned in Scotland in a project run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. It is hoped the strongholds will provide a contingency plan in case culling fails to keep in check the spread of the invasive animals.

Roseanna Cunningham, environment minister, said: "Strongholds are an important additional safeguard for the long-term survival of red squirrels in Scotland.

"A lot of work is being done to prevent the spread of grey squirrels and the squirrel pox virus they carry, but it is equally important that we find and manage habitats so as to give red squirrels a competitive advantage and the opportunity to thrive."