Where I live in SW Scotland there used to be loads of reds then the greys moved in and I never saw a red for years, but then the pine martens moved in and now I haven't saw a grey in years and the reds are making a comeback
I hope the reds continue to recover in numbers- well done the pine martens! If you've been lucky enough to get a photo of a pine marten please feel free to share here as we'd love to see one! :-)
In the UK we have a problem with conservation, people in conservation won't accept the idea that species such as grey squirrel and magpie are contributing to the decline in bird species, they won't accept that control is necessary.
We also have a problem here in the U.K. with people in conservation who cannot bare to let nature take its course! People who have to interfere with nature even further, in some vain attempt to put right historical human mistakes. These “Nature Nazis” want to kill 2.7 million innocent grey squirrels! As I mentioned in my comment above, apply this thinking to human beings and see how you feel about that! What is done is done! Leave it alone and let nature take its own path!
As far as I understand it's not against the law to trap squirrels on your property, you also have to dispatch the squirrel humanely. There definitely needs to be action taken, in my part of the world, South Wales, public parks are heaving with squirrels, and of course people are feeding them.
Hi. Thanks for your question. Advice form the RSPCA is that it's not against the law for grey squirrels to be caught and dispatched, including live-catch cage traps or approved spring traps. If you're using a live-catch trap, check it several times a day and dispatch any captured grey squirrels humanely.
Thank you for all you are doing to protect our vulnerable population of Red Squirrels in Cumbria. I noticed a decline last time I visited Keswick Bridge. They used to be numerous, and last time I didn’t see a single one. Something has to be done if we are not to see them disappear from there, as they have done in most other places in England.
Hi Nigel, thanks for your comment and the support for the channel. It's incredibly rare to see any Red Squirrels here in the south of England where we're based and tragically becoming far rarer elsewhere as you describe. It's an emotive subject but we can't allow the expediential population increase of one invasive species, animal or plant, to eradicate another, especially an ancient native one.
Protect red squirrels in their strongholds by all means, but greys are naturalised throughout most of the British Isles nowadays. 14 million pounds a year spent on fighting a losing battle! Leave the grey squirrels in peace and coexist. It’s our fault, not theirs! We’ve given up on brown rats, which have only been here since the 1700’s. Imagine applying this policy to British citizens who have moved here from other parts of the world!!!
I trapped some grey squirrels, and told the boys' mother, "I'm going to take them to a farm in up state New York." Missing the Americanism, she observed, "Isn't that a long drive?"
Where I live in SW Scotland there used to be loads of reds then the greys moved in and I never saw a red for years, but then the pine martens moved in and now I haven't saw a grey in years and the reds are making a comeback
I hope the reds continue to recover in numbers- well done the pine martens! If you've been lucky enough to get a photo of a pine marten please feel free to share here as we'd love to see one! :-)
In the UK we have a problem with conservation, people in conservation won't accept the idea that species such as grey squirrel and magpie are contributing to the decline in bird species, they won't accept that control is necessary.
Hi. It's a very controversial topic, but one that often doesn't consider the wider impact to native species as you highlight. Thanks for your input.
We also have a problem here in the U.K. with people in conservation who cannot bare to let nature take its course!
People who have to interfere with nature even further, in some vain attempt to put right historical human mistakes.
These “Nature Nazis” want to kill 2.7 million innocent grey squirrels!
As I mentioned in my comment above, apply this thinking to human beings and see how you feel about that!
What is done is done!
Leave it alone and let nature take its own path!
Magpies are the real enemy. Destroyed 2 with a Fenn trap. Whos next?
Can i trap greys in a larsson trap in my back garden ? Theyve decimated the birds nests in my area ?
As far as I understand it's not against the law to trap squirrels on your property, you also have to dispatch the squirrel humanely.
There definitely needs to be action taken, in my part of the world, South Wales, public parks are heaving with squirrels, and of course people are feeding them.
Hi. Thanks for your question. Advice form the RSPCA is that it's not against the law for grey squirrels to be caught and dispatched, including live-catch cage traps or approved spring traps. If you're using a live-catch trap, check it several times a day and dispatch any captured grey squirrels humanely.
Thank you for all you are doing to protect our vulnerable population of Red Squirrels in Cumbria. I noticed a decline last time I visited Keswick Bridge. They used to be numerous, and last time I didn’t see a single one. Something has to be done if we are not to see them disappear from there, as they have done in most other places in England.
Hi Nigel, thanks for your comment and the support for the channel. It's incredibly rare to see any Red Squirrels here in the south of England where we're based and tragically becoming far rarer elsewhere as you describe. It's an emotive subject but we can't allow the expediential population increase of one invasive species, animal or plant, to eradicate another, especially an ancient native one.
Videos are useful and informative. Please reconsider the use of music - it doesn't add to the production values at all.
Thanks very much for your input. We're looking at that at the moment for our future films.
Protect red squirrels in their strongholds by all means, but greys are naturalised throughout most of the British Isles nowadays.
14 million pounds a year spent on fighting a losing battle!
Leave the grey squirrels in peace and coexist.
It’s our fault, not theirs!
We’ve given up on brown rats, which have only been here since the 1700’s.
Imagine applying this policy to British citizens who have moved here from other parts of the world!!!
I agree! It’s us! Not them.
I trapped some grey squirrels, and told the boys' mother, "I'm going to take them to a farm in up state New York." Missing the Americanism, she observed, "Isn't that a long drive?"
Ah.... A nice answer to a delicate subject!