Grey squirrel tide turns on Anglesey

The largest grey squirrel cull ever to have been conducted in the UK has entered a crucial stage as conservationists try and remove the last few animals on the North Wales island of Anglesey . Since 1998, more than 8,000 grey squirrels have been caught on the 720 km 2 island, a fact which has enabled red squirrel numbers to increase from less than 40 to more than 200 so far.

The project has covered thousands of hectares of woodlands and gardens with between 300 and 400 traps being checked daily. Traps are set and baited with maize and visited twice a day by Wildlife Rangers. The grey squirrels are trapped alive and then humanely dispatched, the bodies then being used for a range of national scientific projects including government research into the ‘squirrel pox virus' which is carried by grey squirrels and which is deadly to red squirrels.

Grey squirrels were once a common sight on Anglesey , but thanks to a ground breaking project, today only a small number of animals remain. The challenge faced by conservationists now is to locate, and then catch, animals which could potentially be found anywhere within the highly fragmented network of woodlands on the island. The reward for achieving eradication would be the establishment of the largest island red squirrel refuge in the UK . This would be a huge boost to the national fortunes of the native red squirrel and would also create an important natural attraction for visitors to the island.

Dr Craig Shuttleworth, woodland ecologist at Menter Môn, said,

‘ Culling grey squirrels on the mainland inevitably leads to constant reinvasion as animals from elsewhere move into red squirrel habitats, however on an island like Anglesey, the removal of grey squirrels is sustainable and cost effective, two facts highlighted in a recent national review of grey squirrel control produced by Bristol University .'

‘The grey squirrel has never been successfully eradicated from anywhere in the UK , in fact the geographical distribution of species is actually increasing. To get rid of greys from Anglesey was always going to be a huge challenge but we are confident that with the support of local people we can do it.'

The general public have considerable affection for the native red squirrel, and thus have a desire to see it conserved. Consequently, grey squirrel control receives widespread public and political support, and on Anglesey the community group ‘ Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels ' have championed the red squirrel cause in Wales .

Becky Moss, co-ordinator for the Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels said,

“ It is really important that we manage to catch the last few grey squirrels on the island. If we can eradicate the grey squirrel, then Anglesey can be a long-term island refuge for the red squirrel. We are asking people to keep an eye open for grey squirrels and would encourage anyone who has seen one to contact us as soon as possible.'

‘Sometimes people think that just because the red squirrels are not found near where they live that there may be no point in reporting sightings of grey squirrels, but that is just not the case because if we can get rid of the greys, then red squirrels will recolonise all of the islands' woodlands'

‘We have just released red squirrels back into broadleaved woodland not far from Menai Bridge , and hope to reintroduce red squirrels in other areas soon. The red squirrel population is well on the way to recovery.'

The importance of Anglesey in the national strategy to conserve native red squirrels cannot be overstated. Not only is the island the only location in the UK where a cull is aimed at the complete eradication of the grey squirrel, but it also offers the only area where red squirrels from the UK captive breeding program can be released. Zoos from across the UK have sent animals to the island in a conservation program which has captured the imagination of people across Great Britain, many of whom live in areas where red squirrels have been extinct for decades.

Anyone who has seen a grey squirrel on Anglesey can report the sighting either using the squirrel hotline: 01248 725700 or via email: craig@redsquirrels.info

Notes to Editors 

For further information and digital images please contact Dr Craig Shuttleworth on 07966150847 or via email craig@redsquirrels.info or visit the website www.redsquirrels.info

Additional information

1. Grey squirrels are being eradicated from Anglesey in a pioneering project funded by the Countryside Council for Wales , Menter Môn, and Grantscape.
2. The success of the Anglesey cull was highlighted in the 2006 Bristol University report ‘ Is culling of grey squirrels a viable tactic to conserve red squirrel populations?'
3. The UK government is a signatory to the European Berne Convention that requires action to be taken where an introduced species threatens the survival of a native one.
4. Grey squirrels were introduced to the UK from North America over 100 years ago, and the ‘squirrel-pox virus' disease is likely to have arrived with them. The virus does not appear to harm grey squirrels, but is fatal to reds when they become infected.
5. In areas where grey squirrels carry the virus, they are known to cause the extinction of red squirrels more than ten times faster than elsewhere.
6. In addition to spreading the pox virus, grey squirrels compete with native red squirrels both for food and nest sites. Resource competition with the introduced North American grey squirrel is a major threat, and irrespective of habitat type, ultimately leads to red squirrel population extinction.
7. Anglesey now has two red squirrel populations; one found within the Mynydd Llwydiarth plantation near Pentraeth, and a second ‘reintroduced' population in the coastal pine forest at Newborough.
8. Red squirrels were reintroduced into Newborough forest in a joint project involving Forestry Commission Wales, Menter Môn and the Welsh Mountain Zoo.
9. Red squirrels became extinct in Newborough forest during the early 1990s, but were successfully reintroduced back into the site during 2004. The release program involved freeing captive bred red squirrels obtained from zoos from across the UK including; The Wildwood Centre in Kent, Paradise Park in Cornwall, Dudley Zoo, and The Welsh Mountain zoo.
10. Wild Anglesey red squirrels can now bee watched live on the internet via the squirrelcam www.redsquirrels.info/squirrelcam.html