Red Squirrels

Taxonomic information

Common Name: Red Squirrel

Latin Name: Sciurus vulgaris

Family: Sciuridae (Squirrels)

Description

Red squirrel

The red squirrel can be found in a wide range of woodland types but is primarily associated with large areas of conifer woodland. The red squirrel was formerly widespread and a common species across much of Northern England but populations have been in decline since the early 1900s. This decline can be attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation along with competition from the grey squirrel. Of these factors competition from the grey squirrel, which was introduced from North America in the late 1800s, has had the biggest impact on red squirrel populations. Grey squirrels carry the squirrelpox virus, a disease that is fatal if passed on to reds, and greys can out-compete the reds for food in certain habitats. Consequently, the red squirrel continues to be on the UK list of priority species for biodiversity action.

In the Dales, red squirrels are restricted to the north western area of the National Park. Whilst the distribution of the red squirrel is relatively well known in the Cumbrian part of the National Park, the status is not so clear in adjacent areas in North Yorkshire. Within this area, the first recent records were not until the late 1990s. Since then the number of sightings has increased dramatically. It is thought that this increase has occurred because the conifer woodlands in this area have reached cone bearing age in recent years. These woodlands are now providing a suitable food source for red squirrels which have dispersed from sites in Cumbria. It is estimated that there are 145,000 red squirrels in Britain. However, it is very difficult to determine the population size within the National Park as the reds inhabit densely planted conifer plantations where the thick branches make it impossible to use standard survey methods.

Given the rapid decline of red squirrels across the country, a partnership of organisations called Red Alert North England launched the ‘Red Squirrel Conservation Strategy’ in Autumn 2005. This plan focuses on 16 carefully selected Red Squirrel Reserves across the North of England. Within these areas management will be targeted to provide suitable conifer woodlands where there will be a long term food source for the red squirrels. Around each reserve area there will be a buffer zone where coordinated and targeted grey squirrel management will be implemented in order to protect the reds.

The importance of the Yorkshire Dales for red squirrels is widely recognized because the Widdale Reserve area and part of the Garsdale and Mallerstang Reserve areas are within the National Park. Although there are no viewing facilities in these areas at present, it may be possible to catch a glimpse of one of the elusive creatures from one of the woodland public footpaths.