‘It’s hard to overstate their importance’

The red squirrel population is flourishing on the Isle of Wight, a small island off the southern coast of England. Because of their ability to adapt to a range of climate conditions and a lack of competition with grey squirrels, an invasive species in the U.K., red squirrel numbers can double, according to The Guardian.

There is now an estimated 3,500 red squirrels on the Isle of Wight, the largest remaining population of this endangered species in the region.

Researchers have observed that the island is home to two distinct groups of red squirrels that live on either side of the island. They are different enough to support genetic diversity and strengthen the health of future generations as they begin to mix.

Helen Butler, the founder of the Wight Squirrel Project, has been monitoring and protecting red squirrels for over 30 years. She said, “It’s hard to overstate their importance to the Isle of Wight.”

Not only are they now an essential part of the isle’s ecosystem, red squirrels also bring in tourist traffic. A volunteer for the Wight Squirrel Project, Debbie Hart, said, “Everybody loves them … if people see them in the road, they get out of their cars to take pictures. I have about eight in my garden – you get to know them.”

Regardless of how big or small an animal is, every native species plays its part in its ecosystem. When species go extinct, the food chain is massively disrupted, which can make other species go extinct, others start to overpopulate, or resources disappear.

Other recent conservation efforts have resulted in the sighting of the black-tailed skimmer dragonfly in Northern Ireland and the Yangtze finless porpoises in China, and the rehabilitation of the freshwater mussels population in the U.S.

Moving forward, conservationists want to ensure long-term genetic diversity to maintain healthy populations.

A conservation geneticist at Bournemouth University, Dr. Emilie Hardouin, said, “Now that we have the genetic data and we have the forestry data, it’s easier to go back and look to see if we are missing any corridors to help the two groups of red squirrels integrate to help them thrive.”

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