A native British animal in trouble — the threats facing our wildlife, why the red squirrel has declined, and how we are working to save it.
The biggest threat to UK wildlife is us — humans. When we reduce the population of one species, the effects don't stop there. That change can ripple through the whole food chain and end up harming other species too. Everything in nature is connected, so damage in one place is rarely felt in one place alone.
There are many different ways humans put wildlife under pressure. Here are some of the main threats:
Following, capturing or killing wild animals for food, sport or trade. Hunting can pull a species' numbers down and unbalance the wildlife around it.
Illegally setting dogs on a badger. It is a cruel practice that causes severe injury or death, and it is against the law.
Contaminating habitats — such as rivers, lakes and other water — with harmful substances. Polluted habitats can poison and harm the wildlife that depends on them.
Infectious disease spreading through wildlife by way of pathogens. Once an illness takes hold, it can move quickly through a population.
Humans disturbing habitats through urbanisation and agriculture. As we build and farm across the land, wild habitats shrink and so do the populations that live in them.
Non-native species taking over the habitats and food of native animals. This competition can cause native species to decline — as we will see with the red squirrel.
Wildlife struck by vehicles on our roads, causing injury or death. Busy roads cut through habitats and put animals in danger every day.
The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a smaller squirrel that is native to Europe and northern Asia. You can recognise it by its vibrant reddish-brown fur, its tufted ears and its thick, bushy tail.
Sadly, red squirrels have declined sharply. The main reason is the larger, invasive, non-native North American grey squirrel, which takes the red squirrel's habitat and food. As a bigger and tougher competitor, the grey squirrel out-competes the native red — a clear example of the harm an invasive species can do.
Conservationists use a mix of methods to give red squirrels a fighting chance:
Education matters more than people think. It discourages the public from feeding grey squirrels and brings whole communities into the effort to protect the reds.
A key intervention is monitoring the squirrelpox virus. Grey squirrels carry this virus and can pass it to red squirrels, where it is far more deadly. Monitoring helps prevent the virus from spreading, and it works alongside good biosecurity in red-squirrel habitats to keep the population safe.
Several organisations and sanctuaries across the UK work to protect the red squirrel:
Red squirrels are legally protected in the UK as an endangered species. Several important laws help shield them and the wider natural world:
This Act provides legal protection for wildlife and the countryside, setting rules to keep our native species and their surroundings safe.
Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act lists species of principal importance for conserving biodiversity. It makes it an offence to intentionally harm or disturb these species without a licence, and it supports habitat restoration and public awareness.
This Act sets goals for cleaner air, better water management, biodiversity conservation, less waste and tackling climate change — helping protect the habitats that wildlife like the red squirrel depend on.
Success varies from place to place and depends on which measures are in use. In some areas the results are very encouraging — the Isle of Wight, for example, now has a strong red-squirrel population.
Challenges remain in urban areas, where grey squirrels tend to dominate because they adapt better to towns and cities than reds do. But despite the difficulties, the progress made so far is crucial to keeping red squirrels from extinction.
Information for this report was drawn from the Wildlife Trusts and other conservation organisations, Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels, and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, along with general wildlife and conservation references.
The red squirrel's story is not finished. With protected woodlands, watchful communities and laws that stand behind them, there is real hope that these bright-eyed little animals will once again go scampering through Britain's treetops for generations to come.