Red Squirrel Welfare and Conservation

The native red squirrel has been largely displaced by the introduced grey squirrel across most of England and Wales, with surviving populations facing ongoing welfare and conservation challenges.

Key Facts

Red squirrels survive in Scotland, parts of Northern England, Wales, and Ireland
Grey squirrels outcompete red squirrels for food and carry squirrelpox virus fatal to reds
Red squirrel populations in strongholds are managed partly through grey squirrel control
Supplementary feeding stations benefit red squirrel welfare in areas with poor seed crops
Red squirrels live 3-7 years and form loose social groups in coniferous forests

Welfare Considerations

Red squirrel welfare is affected by food availability, disease from squirrelpox infection introduced by grey squirrels, and predation. Squirrelpox causes severe skin lesions, eye ulcers, and lesions on the feet and genitalia before death within 2 weeks of infection. This represents significant acute suffering at the individual level. Conservation management to protect red squirrel strongholds directly benefits individual red squirrel welfare by reducing disease exposure and competition for food resources.

What You Can Do

Support red squirrel conservation organisations working in stronghold areas
Donate to squirrelpox vaccination research programmes
Avoid releasing grey squirrels if trapped, as this is illegal in the UK
Contribute to squirrel monitoring schemes in areas where both species occur