Red squirrel conservation efforts boosted

magicbastarder

Efforts to save Ireland’s red squirrel population have been boosted by the success of a new pilot project.

A community of the endangered species, threatened by the spread of the North American grey squirrel, has been successfully settled in Co Mayo.

Experts who last year placed five red squirrels in Belleek Woods outside Ballina, where there is no competition from greys, have confirmed the new arrivals have now started to breed.

Ireland's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which started the project in 2007, will work with the Environment and Heritage Service [EHS] in the North, to protect Ireland’s red squirrel population.

A survey carried out in 2007 showed that the grey squirrel is now found in 26 out of Ireland’s 32 counties. Mayo is one of the last grey squirrel-free zones.

Environment Minister John Gormley visited the wildlife project today and praised its success.

“The Red Squirrel is one of Ireland’s most endangered mammals,” he said.

“It is declining at about 1 per cent per annum, so I am particularly pleased to see how well this pilot project is working.”

Transferring red squirrels to safe areas where the greys are not prevalent is one of the conservation actions being investigated as a possible tool to secure the future of the species in Ireland.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojojsnsncw/

donalglackin

thats good to hear. ive often seen red squirrels in annes park i think theres only one or two there theres loads of grey squirrels though.

dogmatix

But I thought areas west of the shannon where already grey squirrel free. So why would they need to protect the reds in Mayo? Would have been better trying to curb grey numbers in the east and reintroduce the reds there?

gerky

dogmatix wrote: »

But I thought areas west of the shannon where already grey squirrel free. So why would they need to protect the reds in Mayo? Would have been better trying to curb grey numbers in the east and reintroduce the reds there?

They have made it to the some part of the west already, and afaik there aren't any reds in belleek so their trying to get good healthy populations in places where there are no greys and no competition.

I actually thought they had intended relocating 12 to belleek but anyway this is one of several test projects being tried to halt their decline.

artieanna

I am delighted to hear this as I have never seen a squirrel in the west of Ireland.

magicbastarder

there's a book called the wild gourmets available which is about living off the land, which goes into the fineries of hunting and cooking grey squirrels. and comes with a stern warning to leave the reds alone.

dogmatix

magicbastarder wrote: »

there's a book called the wild gourmets available which is about living off the land, which goes into the fineries of hunting and cooking grey squirrels. and comes with a stern warning to leave the reds alone.

+1.

And you can still see Red Squirrels in certain parts of wicklow, espically around Glenmalure.

It wasn't me!

Plenty of lads who spend the off season controlling vermin will dedicate a decent bit of their time to culling grey squirrels along with the rest. Great to hear of reintroductions, but there needs to be more energy put into the heavy control of grey squirrel numbers for it to have any sustained effect, in my opinion. I can remember seeing red squirrels in a forest by my house years ago, think they're all gone now, but the greys have sprung up like crazy. Chap who owns it is less than friendly though, so getting shooting permission would be no easy task, which is a shame. Apparently grey squirrel is tasty enough in a stew.

magicbastarder

best thing to hunt greys, according to the book i mentioned above, is an air rifle.

It wasn't me!

Air rifle is grand, but shotgun is equally good. Can fire upwards and get through any slight foliage, better killing tool in the trees tbh, though can often be easier to get multiple squirrels faster with an air rifle obviously. Both are excellent tools though.

boneless

Without being too heavy lads, can I remind you this is the Nature an Birdwatching forum, not the Hunting one...:D

But thanks for the information on squirrel stew....:)

It wasn't me!

boneless wrote: »

Without being too heavy lads, can I remind you this is the Nature an Birdwatching forum, not the Hunting one...:D

But thanks for the information on squirrel stew....:)

No worries, while it's about conservation and control, optimal tools might have been best discussed elsewhere.

boneless

It wasn't me! wrote: »

No worries, while it's about conservation and control, optimal tools might have been best discussed elsewhere.

No harm done lads. Thanks for the input as well.

stevoman

plenty of reds around laois im happy to say. a lovely creature. i shot five greys so far this year so my conservation efforts are working!

It wasn't me!

I don't think there are any left where I am. Still doesn't mean the little grey blighters are safe...

dodgyme

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1041597/Pioneering-project-sees-red-squirrels-make-astonishing-comeback.html

Interesting article on reds and possible comeback

lightening

dogmatix wrote: »

But I thought areas west of the shannon where already grey squirrel free.

They were originally released in the Midlands weren't they? A birthday present in Longford from what I can gather. I wonder why they went East much more successfully than the West. Warmer climate, did they travel on cargo trains or trucks, bright lights, coke and hookers...

It wasn't me!

I saw a red squirrel near my place while out driving a while ago. Was a bloody satisfying sight I must say, been years since I last saw one. The chap who owns the local forest won't let anyone in to shoot though, or I'd be doing some sterling work. Anyone want grey squirrel mittens?

magicbastarder

dodgyme wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1041597/Pioneering-project-sees-red-squirrels-make-astonishing-comeback.html

Interesting article on reds and possible comeback

more good news:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7573535.stm

Blue850

Holy thread resurrection Batman but this little guy has taken up residence behind our garden and eats every day at the feeder:)
Theres 2 of them but they fight over the food.

It wasn't me!

Great photos, lovely to see.

artieanna

Thats brilliant lovely to see a few squirrels settling in the west...

Thanks for the pics blue850

I wonder how are the squirrels getting on in the Belleek wood in Ballina???

Anyone here know how that project going?

Jim Martin

Interesting item on BBC Countryfile prog yesterday about black squirrels, apparently same problems as with greys - spreading pox to reds:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jf6lp/Countryfile_22_03_2009/

Jim Martin

Sorry, forgot to mention - 35.10 mins into prog!

lightening

They have started culling in St. Annes Park in Raheny in Dublin. They have traps set up. They have their work cut out though!!

bobbytwo

Are there grey squirrels in the south? In all the years that I have lived here in Cork, I have never seen a grey gladly. I am lucky to say that I see the reds quite often, even had one in trees in my garden once. Such lovely animals.

Jim Martin

They are supposed to be heading west but haven't crossed the Shannon - yet! But how far south they've got, I'm afraid I don't know.

Blue850

Just a little update on our colony:), we have 3 Reds in the back garden now, looks like a mother and 2 cubs.

Connacht

Saw one of the most wonderful nature sights of my life recently when out walking in Mayo (not near Belleek Woods, Ballina), when I came across a mother red squirrel moving her young by mouth.
She noticed me looking at her and froze for a minute or more under a tree, with the young in her mouth, before moving on when I didn't budge myself. I had a great view. She eventually crossed the forest track I was crouched down on and I was able to see her shuffling in the undergrowth for another minute or two. Fabulous. Beautiful little creatures.

recedite

Jim Martin wrote: »

Interesting item on BBC Countryfile prog yesterday about black squirrels, apparently same problems as with greys - spreading pox to reds:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jf6lp/Countryfile_22_03_2009/

BBC i player is unfortunately not available to people in the Republic. I would like to know what a Black Squirrel is though.:) A recent introduction from the Southern Hemisphere? Also the "native" squirrels became extinct 200 years ago. So why do people hate American grey squirrels but love the British red ones? I don't understand this animal xenophobia.
The red squirrel is believed to have been present in Ireland since the end of the last Ice Age. During the 1700s it is thought to have become extinct in Ireland; whether this was due to disease, hunting or loss of habitat, is not known. During the early 1800s, red squirrels were reintroduced to Ireland from Britain and by the early 1900s were present in all counties in Ireland, both north and south. The population continued to increase for a short time, then began to decline rapidly across the British Isles – possibly due to disease.
source;

http://www.habitas.org.uk/priority/species.asp?item=5108

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Black Squirrels are a melanistic variety of the eastern Grey Squirrel, individual Black Squirrels can exist wherever Grey Squirrels live. Grey mating pairs may produce Black offspring, and mixed litters are common where Black Squirrel exist. They were very common in the area of Mid West USA that I visited 2 years ago.

The Red is a Native species. Re-introduction does not eliminate Native status. Will our Golden Eagles never be native Irish birds in your view? Will the Red Kiles (hopefully) in years to come still be British in your eyes? Re-introduction of a species lost due to human interference is legitimate. To equate the American Eastern Grey Squirrel with the Eurasian Red Squirrel, on the alien species front, is taking a very narrow view of ecology.

As for the Grey Squirrel. It is clearly an alien species. It is detrimental to not only the Native Red Squirrel but our flora as well.