Supplementary feeding of red squirrels in conservation areas supports population persistence. Understanding best practice protects welfare while maximizing conservation benefit.
Supplementary feeding for conservation provides welfare benefits at the population level by supporting survival during food shortages, but creates welfare risks at the individual level through disease if feeders are poorly maintained. Fungal contamination of improperly cleaned feeders can cause fatal aspergillosis in squirrels. The welfare benefit of supplementary feeding is maximized when feeders are properly designed to exclude grey squirrels and consistently cleaned to prevent fungal and bacterial pathogen accumulation.