Red squirrels are one of Britain's most beloved native mammals, pushed to the edge of extinction by grey squirrel competition and disease. Conservation efforts raise important welfare considerations.
Red squirrels dying from squirrelpox experience severe skin lesions, debilitation, and death over several weeks. Individual welfare during disease episodes is considerable. Grey squirrel control to protect red squirrel populations raises welfare questions about humane trapping and killing methods. Lethal control using approved traps with regular checking intervals minimises suffering. The welfare of individual grey squirrels is weighed against population-level red squirrel recovery in these management decisions.