Charles lets red squirrels roam around his home
THE Duke of Cambridge once joked that his father was “infatuated” by red squirrels, revealing that he even gave them names.
Now, the Prince of Wales has again expressed his deep affection for the “inquisitive and delightful” creatures, confirming that he lets them roam inside at Birkhall, his Scottish home, where he leaves nuts in jacket pockets for them to find.
The Prince, who is patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, praised the thousands of volunteers fighting for the creatures’ survival. In a letter to mark Red Squirrel Appreciation Day today, he told them: “Without your efforts, we simply could not hope to succeed in the task we have set ourselves. Generations to come would be denied the pleasure we take for granted in the healthy woods that are now threatened as never before, and of which the red squirrel is both the symbol and, by its presence, the benchmark.”
He added: “As you will all know so well, these charming and intelligent creatures never fail to delight. I take enormous pleasure in having them around – and in – the house when I am at home in Scotland. They are such inquisitive and delightful characters; they have even been known to hunt down a few of their favourite nuts left out in an unguarded jacket pocket!”
Grey squirrels, which arrived from North America in the 19th century, now outnumber native red squirrels by more than 15 to one. There are now fewer than 140,000 red squirrels in the UK and the trust has warned they will be extinct within 10 years without action.
The Prince had hoped to create a haven for red squirrels in the grounds of Dumfries House, home to the Prince’s Foundation in Ayrshire, where a 10-acre arboretum has been planted. But his plans were said to have been dashed when Scottish National Heritage asked where the squirrels would come from and how they would be kept apart from their grey enemies.
He once said: “My great ambition is not only to have one in the house, but sitting on the breakfast table and even on my shoulder.”