{"id":300516,"date":"2025-12-05T13:55:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T13:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/300516\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T13:55:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T13:55:08","slug":"red-squirrel-range-increases-25-in-highlands-following-reintroduction-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/300516\/","title":{"rendered":"Red squirrel range increases 25% in Highlands following reintroduction project"},"content":{"rendered":"

The range of red squirrels in the Highlands has increased by more than 25% in a decade following a reintroduction project by a rewilding charity.<\/p>\n

Surveys for the charity Trees for Life show more than 12 new populations of reds are now thriving and breeding successfully in areas where they were missing before.<\/p>\n

Although native to the UK, the country\u2019s red squirrel population is under threat from the spread of invasive non-native grey, which also carry the fatal squirrel pox virus.<\/p>\n

During the reintroductions, licensed by NatureScot, Trees for Life carefully relocates small numbers of reds from healthy populations around Inverness-shire, Moray and Strathspey to suitable woods in the north and north-west, where they will be safe from greys.<\/p>\n

So far this year it has relocated 259 red squirrels to 13 new sites in the north-west Highlands from which the species was missing.<\/p>\n

Becky Priestley, of Trees for Life, said: \u201cThis rewilding success story is offering hope for the long-term survival of Scotland\u2019s much-loved red squirrels, and shows how we can make a real and positive difference to our native wildlife.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur local community volunteers have been at the heart of this project \u2013 from identifying donor sites, to helping with supplementary feeding and taking part in citizen science by reporting sightings and monitoring camera traps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red squirrels can now be found as far north as Brora and Ullapool, Morvern to the south-west, at several locations on the north-west coast and across all areas of suitable habitat in the central Highlands up to Lairg.<\/p>\n

Before the reintroductions, reds were absent from most of their former range in the north and north-west Highlands, with the last records generally dating from the 1970s.<\/p>\n

Surveys by Trees for Life show reintroductions have been highly successful, and have increased the animals\u2019 range in the Highlands by more than 25%.<\/p>\n

Since Trees for Life launched the project in 2015, new populations of reds have been established in Shieldaig, Coulin, Plockton, Inverewe, Reraig, Attadale, Letterewe, Lochaline, Spinningdale, Golspie, Arisaig, Drimnin, and Ratagan.<\/p>\n

Scotland is home to around 80% of the UK\u2019s red squirrels.<\/p>\n

Trees for Life said only a few reds are relocated from each donor site to leave those populations unaffected, and these sites are regularly changed to ensure genetic diversity.<\/p>\n

Only healthy animals are relocated and the reds are transported in hay-lined nest boxes and released into habitat with plenty of natural food and shelter.<\/p>\n

Additional food is provided for several months as they get used to their new area.<\/p>\n

The charity now plans to expand the red squirrels\u2019 range further as part of a Missing Species Programme for the Highlands, launched to bring back four of Scotland\u2019s \u201ckeystone\u201d animals which are partly or fully missing from Scotland.<\/p>\n

The \u00a33.6 million programme, announced in November, will focus on red squirrels, lynx, beavers, and a species of cattle considered the \u201cmodern-day aurochs\u201d.<\/p>\n

It has launched a supporter appeal to raise an initial \u00a325,000 to kickstart the initiative and is also contacting major funders in the hope they will support the programme.<\/p>\n

More information can be found at https:\/\/treesforlife.org.uk\/support\/missing-species-appeal\/.<\/p>\n

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