News &
Events
For details of the latest news, issues and events that are essential to red squirrels and their conservation, both in the UK and the rest of Europe, see the list below. Additionally if you have information that you would like to post on this website, that you feel is of interest to the UKRSG and its participants please contact us.
Squirrelpox Virus
Squirrelpox virus is deadly to red squirrels. Evidence suggests that it originated from grey squirrels transported from North America and, whilst they appear to carry a natural immunity to it, red squirrels do not. Animals infected with the virus seem to suffer a marked decline in their health and die within around two weeks of contracting it (see Advice Note: themes. At present, the spread of squirrelpox virus presents the greatest threat to retaining red squirrels across their current range.
Whilst previously recorded in the north of England, the Scottish red squirrel population appeared to be squirrelpox-free until May 2005. Unfortunately the first grey squirrel showing evidence that it had been exposed to the virus (a ‘seropositive’ animal) was then found in the Borders. Scottish Natural Heritage, in partnership with the Southern Upland Partnership, Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project and Red Alert South West Scotland, has since supported grey squirrel control around the areas and tracked the spread of the disease. The following maps show the spread of records over this period:
Squirrelpox virus October 2009 - captive animals
Squirrelpox virus October 2009 - free-living animals
Work continues, through the partnership, to track the disease and remove grey squirrels in areas likely to transmit this to red squirrels. The Scottish Government is also funding a three-year project with the Moredun Research Institute to investigate the route of transmission of the virus by grey squirrels. It is hoped that this work will help to inform whether it will be possible to prevent further spread of this disease, although this information is not anticipated to be available until at least 2010.
Other Disease Monitoring
Adenovirus in grey squirrels - October 2009
Adenovirus in red squirrels - October 2009
Rotavirus in red squirrels - October 2009
Grey squirrel spread in Europe
Grey squirrels are beginning to spread through the forests of Northern Italy and, as in the UK, it appears to be at the expense of the native red squirrel. It is thought that grey squirrels will soon be established in the vast continuous swathes of forest across the Alps giving them a foothold into other European countries. If this happens it is likely that in the future the rest of Europe may be facing a similar ordeal to the UK of having to protect pockets of red squirrel refugia.
The maps shows the current known range of the grey squirrel in Europe. © Societas Europaea Mammalogica 2004. (Compare to the red squirrel distribution)
Grey squirrels were first introduced into Italy when two pairs escaped from an ambassador's garden in Turin in 1948. The spread was slow until 1970. Between 1970 and 1990 the red squirrel's range in this area was reduced by 50%, with a further 55% from 1990-1996. Efforts to trap and destroy grey squirrels before they spread into the continuous woodlands in the foothills of the Alps were held up due to issues with animal welfare groups.
The grey squirrels' range now expands into the wooded hills of the Alps and Piedmont, where it is no longer considered feasible to eradicate from Italy. There is now a risk of expansion of the grey squirrel into the rest of Europe. Further details can be found on the SquirrelWeb.
Greys in South Africa
Since the release of a few grey squirrels near Cape Town in the early 1900's, and other releases some 190 km away in 1957 and 1968 they have spread and now inhabit urban, agricultural or afforested areas within an area of 7000 km2 of the Cape Peninsula and areas of the Western Cape. However the grey squirrels are not considered invasive here, possibly due to the native predators controlling their numbers (IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group).