Red squirrels have become increasingly rare in the UK with only around 140,000 left in the wild. The non-native American Grey squirrel is much more numerous (thought to be around 2.5million) and it is this squirrel that we more commonly see in our parks, gardens and woodlands. Grey squirrels were only brought to the UK around 200 years ago but they have now spread far and wide and are endangering the populations of red squirrels.
Red squirrels used to be found all over the UK up until the 1950s. However, they are now most commonly found in areas such as Scotland, the Lake District and Northumberland where there is a lot of conifer woodland. This is because this habitat is in decline due to climate change and so the red squirrels are having to retreat even further north.
So what is being done? The Wildlife Trusts are working hard to help save the red squirrels from extinction. They are actively involved in managing their habitat to make sure they have enough areas in which to live, eat and breed successfully. They closely monitor squirrel populations and control grey squirrel numbers in areas where red squirrels are significantly in decline. Through education and awareness projects, it is hoped that red squirrel numbers may start to rise again and thrive in all parts of the UK.
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