The Red Squirrel 

The universally loved red squirrel immortalised by"Squirrel Nutkin" in the stories of Beatrix Potter, is our only native squirrel species. Sadly, today and during the last century their numbers have declined greatly.

Where have they all gone? In the past red squirrels were common. Over the last few decades we have seen a dramatic decline in numbers of red squirrels.  The red squirrel is our only native squirrel species. In recent times the red has undergone a drastic decline and is now mainly confined to northern England, Scotland and parts of Wales. The main cause of this decline is competition with the introduced American grey squirrel. The grey squirrel is larger than the red and better able to survive harsh weather and period of food shortage. It breeds more successfully and quickly out-competes the red squirrel for food.

Historically, after the ice retreated following the Ice Age, red squirrels were found throughout the whole of the British Isles. Numbers and range have always naturally fluctuated, rising and falling in relation to food availability and climate. The major decline in red squirrels occured in England during the 20th Century while the grey squirrel expanded rapidly at the same time. The main reason for the red squirrel decline is competition with grey squirrels and disease. Loss of woodland and road deaths are also lesser problems.