The battle to protect England’s red squirrel population faces mounting challenges as grey squirrel numbers continue to rise alarmingly.
An annual survey by Red Squirrels Northern England (RSNE) reveals an upward trend in both species across 250 sites in northern England.
However, grey squirrel occupancy jumped from 62% in 2023 to 69% in 2024, far outpacing the red squirrel’s modest rise from 50% to 52%.
Northumberland and Cumbria reflect this disparity sharply, with grey squirrel detections 25% and 17.3% higher than red squirrels, respectively.
The RSNE has called this “substantial” increase concerning, though they noted that conservation efforts have stabilized red squirrel populations in key areas like Kielder Forest, which recorded its highest red squirrel occupancy since 2012.
Ian Glendinning, chair of the Northumberland branch of Northern Red Squirrels, expressed grave concerns.
He highlighted that climate change extends grey squirrel breeding seasons, intensifying their dominance.
Grey squirrel Conservationists urge increased funding to protect native red squirrel populations.“We are fighting a losing battle, albeit slowly,” he said, fearing the local extinction of red squirrels in England and Wales before chemical interventions to control greys become viable.
Historically, red squirrels have thrived in the UK since the ice age. However, grey squirrels were introduced as a Victorian curiosity in 1876 and have since outcompeted reds.
Today, the UK’s estimated grey squirrel population exceeds 2.7 million, compared to a mere 287,000 red squirrels, with only 39,000 remaining in England.
Despite the challenges, RSNE’s project officer Abbie McQueen remains hopeful.
She emphasized the importance of securing further funding to support red squirrel conservation efforts, noting that stable red squirrel detection shows ongoing work is protecting their habitats.
Moreover, with red squirrels holding a special place in British culture, conservationists hope public support and funding will help turn the tide against the invasive grey squirrel threat.