There are around three million grey squirrels in the UK
In a bid to control soaring squirrel populations in the UK, a government-backed scheme is looking to give the nut-loving critters oral contraception.
The UK Squirrel Accord (UKSA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) have been working on a project to quell the rising numbers of the invasive grey squirrel. A laboratory run by UKSA is looking for a non-lethal remedy, spurring the decision to trial contraceptives and specialist feeding sites.
Apha has said that its feeders exclude most other wildlife while also allowing 70 per cent of the squirrel population to enter and feed. For the trial to be successful, researchers need to find a way to deter red squirrels while also attracting their grey counterparts.
One possible solution is assessing the bodyweight of the squirrel to understand whether it’s grey or red, though more research is needed.
The project has been backed by environment minister Lord Richard Benyon, who told The Independent that these “pests” need to be eradicated to help “recover out beloved red squirrel.”
What’s so wrong with grey squirrels?
There are an estimated three million grey squirrels in the UK, having been introduced to the country in the 1890s. They have great adaptation skills, which meant they dominated the native red squirrel population and ravaged the woodland. Grey squirrels tend to strip the bark from young trees and are known to particularly favour broad-leaf trees, like oak.
Ultimately, they “disrupt the delicate balance of nature and biodiversity whilst diminishing our ability to tackle climate change,” explained Benyon.
“This is a vital milestone on the road to enabling forestry to play its part fully in the climate battle while preserving our native broadleaf trees and allowing our native red squirrels to return,” said Lord Kinnoull, chairman of the UK Squirrel Accord and Red Squirrel Survival Trust
Gideon Henderson from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said that the move would help protect “UK woodland” while “increasing biodiversity.”
“Without effective conservation management, red squirrels could face further local extinctions across the UK,” said Vanessa Fawcett of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. “Research into developing an oral contraceptive for the grey squirrel is at an advanced stage. We are deeply grateful to all those who supported us so far on our journey to offer a new solution to effectively manage grey squirrel populations.”
Similarly, the Forestry Commission’s Rebecca Isted said she was “optimistic these trials could eventually lead to a significant change of approach in the management of these animals.”
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