Wonderful Wildlife of Wales - Illustrated Talk
An evening illustrated talk by our Patron - Iolo Williams
Wildlife expert, BBC presenter, and red squirrel fan, Iolo Williams will be giving a roller-coaster ride through the Wildlife of Wales. Learn about the best of biodiversity; from the coastal depths to the highest peaks, deepest woodland to open saltmarsh and estuary, beneath the soil to the treetops and above. A great opportunity to experience the Wonderful Wildlife of Wales.
At the Main Arts Lecture Theatre Bangor University
25th November 2008 - Doors open 6pm for refreshments, please be seated for 7pm
TICKETS: £5.00 with a glass of wine Available from: Friends of Anglesey Red Squirrels, Bryn Cefni Industrial Estate, Llangefni, Anglesey LL77 7XA Ticket Hotline 01248 720721
Heading north...
A young red squirrel photographed on the forest track between Llyn Parc Mawr and Malltraeth village on Sept 1st 2008 by Mr Mike Jackson.
The increasing number of red squirrel sightings in the forest corresponds with the capture of 86 animals in late June. Newborough contains c. 150 adults and young this autumn and is now a stronghold for the red squirrel in Wales.
A Simple Equation:
Red squirrels = Woodland - Grey squirrels
The number of adult and yearling red squirrels caught within Mynydd Llwydiarth, or what is locally known as Pentraeth forest, are shown in the figure opposite. Three methods of population estimation are given in years following the removal of grey squirrel. Quite clearly, the removal of grey squirrels facilitates the natural expansion of red squirrels. A similar pattern has been found in Newborough forest...
To find out about red squirrel elsewhere in Wales Click here...
If you go down to the woods today... - August 08
Nowhere else in the UK are red squirrels returning to broadleaved woodland and gardens. We were thrilled to be sent another photograph of a red squirrel visiting an Anglesey garden, this time in Llandegfan. We are now working with Anglesey County Council to get road warning signs erected in areas where red squirrels are living near roads. Two animals have already been killed on the islands' roads and we are determined to highlight the issue to get signs in place as soon as possible.
Anglesey Red Squirrel Videos - August 08
A generous Anglesey County Council grant enabled us to purchase some state of the art video equipment and infra-red triggers to enable us to capture footage of animals at various squirrel feeders. We will regularly post the latest video on the site as downloads. The videos are between 6 and 7 MB in size and are .wmv format which will run in Windows Media Player. If you have problems running the files please contact us.
The first download is of an adult female red squirrel feeding at a feeder in woodland near the town of Beaumaris. The second is a an animal taking food from a hopper and caching it. The third video is of an adult male feeding at the hopper. For the latest videos check out the Video page... 
| Download 'Red Squirrel Video' Now | Download 'Caching Video' Now | Download 'Feeding Squirrel Video' Now |
|---|
Red squirrels Reclaim Anglesey! - August 08 part II
Having reclaimed the southern coastal woodlands of Anglesey, a red squirrels was photographed in the Cors Erddreiniog National Nature Reserve to the North West of Benllech village. The animal had been foraging on the ground within the mixed pine and deciduous woodland when it was disturbed, and dashed up onto branches in a large Corsican pine tree. The bleached pale tail and eartufts are quite distinctive, and are typical of animals within the Mynydd Llwydiarth (Pentraeth forest) which is located over five km to the south. Read more about the Anglesey success story...
Red squirrels Reclaim Anglesey! - August 08
Red squirrels have reclaimed the southern coastal woodlands of Anglesey. Seven animals were caught in woodland near Beaumaris during early August, with squirrels visiting garden bird tables in Wrexham Street and the Cae Mawr estate. Red squirrels have also been caught or photographed in Coed Cyrnol Local Nature Reserve, Menai Bridge and gardens in Glyn Garth and Llandegfan. These animals originated from a small release project which we carried out in 2007. We now have a digital video camera set up at a feeding location in the south east of the island and have posted footage on our video download page...
Newborough population explosion! - July 08
In late June the project caught 86 red squirrels in Newborough forest, the highest number of animals found to date. Red squirrels are now found throughout the forest, in what is the first successful reintroduction in Wales. For the best chance of seeing a wild red squirrel in Newborough forest, we would suggest that visitors park at the Llyn Park Mawr car parking area and take the woodland path through towards the bird hide. Red squirrels are regularly seen in the area, and the woodland floor is littered with chewed pine cones.
Grey squirrel numbers decline- July 08
Numbers of grey squirrels have declined dramatically during 2008 as the result of increasing levels of trapping. The project is now focussed upon locating animals which may persist in small copses or isolated woodland fragments. We have already discovered two modest, but in the context of an eradication project, significant pockets of adults and young in the Llangoed area of the island. We are are keen to learn of any grey squirrel sightings on Anglesey, and can be contacted through this site.
Pentraeth suspected pox confirmed as Negative - May 08
We are delighted to learn that the suspected squirrel pox case in Pentraeth forest was negative for the virus. Extensive testing by David Everest at VLA Weybridge detremined that viral particles were not present in the lesion material examined. This of course leaves the cause of death as unknown, as Post Mortem and Histology tests were unable to pinpoint an alternative factor which could have led to the animals death.
Red squirrels eager for the limelight - Apr 08
Red squirrels have become more frequent visitors to our broadleaved woodland webcam. We were sent this delightful image of two animals using the hopper and have our fingers crossed that the red squirrels will breed at this location for the first time this year. Animals are also still frequent guests in several gardens at Wern y Wylan and we also have a recent sighting from Llangafo village in the west of the island. We are always keen to hear of any red squirrel sightings and can be contacted through this site.
Local man receives Police caution for damaging red squirrel habitat - Apr 08
After two years of repeated damage to saplings planted by Pentraeth school children, a local man has received a formal Police caution for criminal damage. We are delighted that someone has finally been caught, and we hope that this is an end to the matter and that future red squirrel habitat creation projects are left alone.
Red squirrels set to return to another historical site - Mar 08
We are delighted to announce that red squirrels will be reintroduced back into an extensive mature broadleaved woodland on the island. The site remains confidential for the time being, but the landowner has agreed to allow red squirrels to be release during the autumn of 2008. Trapping teams are currently working within the site to ensure that grey squirrels are absent, and red squirrel release enclosures will be constructed in the summer months. This is an exciting development, and takes us one step closer to our vision of making Anglesey into one of the largest red squirrel refuge areas in Great Britain. We will update on this news item later in the year.
Suspected squirrel pox outbreak - Hunt is on for grey squirrels- Feb 08
In the light of the recent death of an Anglesey red squirrel from suspected 'squirrel pox' virus, the Anglesey Red Squirrel Project have begun trapping in woodlands adjacent to the Mynydd Llwydirath (Pentraeth) forest. We are keen to hear of any grey squirrel sightings from the island since January of this year. The removal of the last few remaining grey squirrels is now even more important than ever. If you have seen a grey squirrel please let us know either by email or telephone. Please see our contact us page for details.
Suspected squirrel pox outbreak in Pentraeth forest - Feb 08
Seventy four adult red squirrels, including sixteen pregnant females, were caught in Pentraeth forest during mid February. However on Sunday 17th a young female was found showing classic symptoms of the deadly squirrel pox virus. Download the Video
The Pentraeth animal was taken to the Welsh Mountain Zoo at Colwyn Bay where it was given emergency treatment including antibiotics. The antibiotics do not help combat the virus, but they will combat bacterial infection of any skin lesions caused by the virus. Unfortunately the animal died within 24 hours and the body has now been sent for post mortem examination and a series of tests which will be carried out by DEFRA to confirm if the virus was present.
The risk of pox virus is of serious concern, and the Anglesey Red Squirrel Project have taken emergency measures aimed at minimizing the risk of any infection. The disease is carried by grey squirrels and is almost always fatal to the native red squirrel, so it is important that infected animals are found before the disease can progress. Local residents who have red squirrels visiting their garden bird-tables are also keeping a careful watch on the animals.
Webcam Image Archives - 2007 & 2008
Red squirrel advance continues! Jan 08
Eight grey squirrels were caught in January 2008 across the southern broadleaved woodland on Anglesey. These stands were once home to over a thousand grey squirrels, and contained woodlands where bark stripping damage to hardwood tree species was often severe. The area now contains a small pocket of red squirrels which were reintroduced in 2006. We were surprised to catch one adult male some 4km to the west of the release site, in a block of mature oak and Yew woodland. This is the first record of a wild red squirrel in this area since the mid 1980s, and we hope that it is the beginning of a wider recolonisation by this enchanting little animal.
Membership and merchandise can now be purchased from our online store
