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Nature lovers are being asked to take part in the nationwide Great Scottish Squirrel Survey between September 20-26 (National Red Squirrel Week).

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which is working in priority areas across Scotland to protect red squirrels from the spread of the non-native grey squirrel.

Gill Hatcher, SSRS Communications & Engagement Officer said: “We are asking everyone to go out and enjoy the outdoors during Red Squirrel Week, look out for both red and grey squirrels and add your sightings to our online map at scottishsquirrels.org.uk.”

The 2020 Great Scottish Squirrel Survey was a recordbreaking year, with 3160 squirrel sightings reported in just one week. Sightings help SSRS create a picture of the situation on the ground, and directly contribute to red squirrel conservation action.

This year’s survey is all the more important because Covid-19 lockdown restrictions forced the cancellation of the project’s spring surveys in both 2020 and 2021.

Grey squirrels were introduced to Scotland in Victorian times and have since replaced our native red squirrel in many parts of the country.

They out-compete reds for food and living space and can also carry squirrelpox, a virus that doesn’t harm them but is fatal to reds.

Squirrel sightings help the National Lottery-funded project understand how the distribution of each species is changing over time, and can also alert staff to situations where grey squirrels are posing an immediate threat to the local red population.

The week will also feature a programme of online and outdoor events across the country including a guided walk at RSPB Loch Lomond on Tuesday, September 21, via Facebook livestream at 12.30pm.

More information at scottishsquirrels.org.uk/ great-scottish-squirrelsurvey.