By Della Lewandowski
During January, our focus here at Creature Candy was on red squirrels. We have been celebrating our new partnership with Lunn Learning, and of course Red Squirrel Appreciation Day on Tuesday 21st January! Red squirrels are the only squirrel species native to the UK, but they have now disappeared from much of it. Their decline is regarded as one of the most drastic in the UK, with warnings suggesting they could become extinct in England within the next 10 years, therefore it’s always a good time to raise awareness for them!
Red squirrels sightings are more prevalent in the autumn, when they are busy collecting food to create a cache underground or in tree cavities for the winter. Source: woodlandtrust.org.uk
Lunn Learning
The aim of Lunn Learning is simple – to educate children about nature, wildlife and conservation, with the aim of reconnecting them with the outdoors. Owner Fiona Lunn writes fictional stories based on facts to make learning an enjoyable and entertaining experience. Her stories are delivered in the form of books, play scripts, audiobooks and storytelling.
Lunn Learning has pledged that all profits will be donated to various children’s and wildlife charities in the British Isles.
Red Squirrels
Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are known for their striking orange-red fur, but their colouration can in fact be quite variable; from bright ginger to dark brown. Their fur can slightly change in winter, becoming tinged with grey and ear tufts developing.
The prominent difference between red and grey squirrels is, of course, their fur colour. But there is in fact more colour overlap than some people may think. Grey squirrels never have ear tufts and are considerably larger than their auburn counterparts (greys weigh around 500g, reds 300g). The large, bushy tails of red squirrels are exclusively one colour, whereas grey squirrels can exhibit numerous.
Where to Find Them
As their diet mainly consists of seeds and nuts red squirrels need trees to survive. They favour mixed broadleaf and coniferous woodlands, as pine seeds are still present over the winter months. If you want to spot one then look up, as they spend most of their time at the top of the canopy and visit the ground much less than grey squirrels do! Autumn is the best time to see them, as they are busy collecting food to create a cache underground for the winter months.
They were once a common sight across the UK, but have now retreated to Scotland, areas of northern England and Wales, and small islands off the south coast of England.
Threats
The rapid decline of red squirrels has been attributed to the introduction of grey squirrels. There have been several introductions in different areas of the UK, the first dating back as far as 1828 near Denbighshire in north Wales. They originate from oak-hickory woodlands in eastern US, co-existing with the American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasi).
Co-existing is not as easy with Eurasian red squirrels, as they outcompete them in their habitats. Greys are also carriers of squirrelpox virus and often remain asymptomatic, whereas infected reds usually die.
Red Squirrel Survival Trust
The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) is a charity that works on the conservation and protection of red squirrels in the UK.
Their aims:
Protect red squirrels by keeping them apart from grey squirrels.
Secure the environment in which red squirrels can thrive by protecting the biodiversity of Britain’s native woodlands.
Assist the winning reds in areas where their numbers have increased or stabilised.
Establish new red colonies across the UK wherever feasible.
Fund research on how to secure the red squirrels long-term future.
Raise awareness of the plight of reds in the UK.
We donate 10% of the sale price of each product featuring a red squirrel to the RSST. This means you will help fund the vital work this charity carries out to increase and stabilise their numbers in the UK.
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