I went to Formby this week with my mum. Disappointed to not see any red squirrels. Last visit 18 months ago we saw a couple. A local woman in the car park explained that the numbers have really declined over the last couple of years due to squirrel pox. As the NT aren't feeding the squirrels, they have retreated to local gardens and won't be seen in the woods. She kindly offered for me and my mum to visit her garden as she sees red squirrels most days, but we declined as we wouldn't have felt comfortable turning up to her house when we'd only just met. I don't know if the NT are planning on reintroducing feeding, they seem very quiet on the issue. We weren't the only disappointed people there, so I think the NT should be informing people about the situation.Visited this morning and didn't see a single Red
Have they all been wiped out by the pox/another virus?
A local woman in the car park explained that the numbers have really declined over the last couple of years due to squirrel pox.
I also went to Formby last year and didn't see a single Red ..... was told the locals have been asked to stop feeding them but as the reserve has also stopped feeding I don't know what's going to happen.
Apparently is at the feeders that they are catching the pox from others.I wonder why the authorities seem so anti feeding? Some mad belief that the animals should have no human interaction or in the face of possibly declining numbers just stupidity?
Apparently is at the feeders that they are catching the pox from others.
I don't think they can rely on the public to do the right thing unfortunately ... or to feed them the correct balance of food,, but the NT could, it would just take them more time and effort to do so and they are probably feeling the pinch.Oh dear. Couldn't they or the public leave food scattered about where the squirrels can find it but are less likely to congregate?
Yep, I saw some in Anglesey at Llyn Parc Mawr in June when I visited. Not had any joy anywhere else on Anglesey though(Dingle etc) I've only just started dabbling in some wildlife photography. I'm definitely not stealthy enough and scare everything off!Still plenty on Anglesey luckily
we really should do more to cull the grey squirrel population before they wipe out the reds.