Red squirrels survive in isolated refugia in Scotland, northern England, Ireland, and on several islands, requiring active conservation management that includes grey squirrel control with welfare implications.
Key Facts
Red squirrels have been displaced from most of England and Wales by introduced grey squirrels
Grey squirrels carry squirrelpox virus to which red squirrels have no immunity
Red squirrel numbers in the UK are estimated at 140,000-160,000, mainly in Scotland
Grey squirrel control is considered essential for red squirrel conservation on the mainland
Lethal grey squirrel control is controversial but supported by most conservation organisations for red squirrel sites
Welfare Considerations
Red squirrel conservation creates a welfare dilemma involving the control of grey squirrels to protect the declining native species. Lethal control of grey squirrels through trapping and shooting causes individual welfare harm to those animals. The welfare justification rests on the conservation necessity of protecting an ecologically and culturally significant species facing extinction from a disease inadvertently introduced with grey squirrels. Methods used for grey squirrel control must meet humane standards including appropriate trap types and inspection frequencies. Non-lethal alternatives including immunocontraception are being researched as potential long-term solutions.
What You Can Do
Support red squirrel conservation trusts in their monitoring and habitat management work
Engage with the ethical complexity of grey squirrel control rather than taking simplistic positions
Advocate for humane standards in any grey squirrel control programmes
Support research into non-lethal grey squirrel population management
Create or maintain woodland habitat appropriate for red squirrel recolonisation