The conflict between native red squirrels and introduced grey squirrels presents one of conservation's most difficult welfare dilemmas, requiring lethal control of one species to protect another from extinction in Britain.
This conflict presents a genuine ethical dilemma: the welfare of individual grey squirrels must be weighed against the conservation of a native species. Lethal control methods raise welfare concerns - trapping can cause distress and injury if traps are not checked frequently. Shooting must be carried out humanely by skilled marksmen. Emerging contraceptive approaches (Immunocontraception) could reduce the need for lethal control but require large-scale deployment. Pine marten recovery offers a natural, non-lethal regulation mechanism. Conservation decisions must account for both individual animal welfare and population-level outcomes.