Wildlife

Wild Red Squirrel Conservation and Welfare

Red squirrels face extinction in England and Wales from grey squirrel competition and squirrelpox.

Key Facts

Red squirrels have been reduced to isolated populations in the UK
Grey squirrels introduced from North America carry squirrelpox without symptoms
Red squirrels die rapidly from squirrelpox when infected
Grey squirrel control is the primary conservation tool in red squirrel areas

Welfare Considerations

Red squirrels dying from squirrelpox experience neurological symptoms including eye and mouth swelling before death. Each infected red squirrel represents individual suffering from a human-introduced disease. Grey squirrel management raises its own welfare questions — lethal control involves individual animal death. Conservation priorities must balance red squirrel welfare against grey squirrel welfare in management decisions.

What You Can Do

Support red squirrel conservation organisations in your region
Donate to red squirrel vaccination research programmes
Engage with the complex welfare debate around grey squirrel management
Volunteer for red squirrel monitoring if you live in a red squirrel area