A packed audience of more than 80 people gathered for the annual meeting of the Penrith and District Red Squirrel Group at the town’s rugby club.
P&DRSG is a charity working to try and ensure red squirrels continue to survive and thrive over the 622 square miles covered by the group. It holds an annual open evening for anyone interested in red squirrel conservation and to share the aims of the group.
The group was given a fascinating illustrated talk by Dr Craig Shuttleworth, a research fellow of Bangor University. Craig is the man largely responsible for the successful recolonisation by red squirrels of the island of Anglesey following a grey squirrel control programme.
He is one of the leading scientists in this field but at the same time understands the practical elements essential to achieve red conservation.
His talk covered squirrel behaviour and the genetics of both the native red and the invasive grey that was introduced to this country in the 1870s. The grey has very successfully colonised most of England and Wales at the expense of the red.
His talk also included a section on pine martens, based on research using tracking of released pine martens in North Wales and details of their diet.
He agreed they might have a part to play in grey control in Cumbria, but said there were also considerable downsides, and that pine martens alone were definitely not the answer.
He concentrated on the issue of squirrel pox and the heartbreaking situation occurring all too often now with recovering red populations being decimated by pox outbreaks. Most mature greys in England are carrying the virus and it is vital for the red conservation world to keep up the grey control effort. The progression of a vaccine is also imperative.
Robert Benson, chairman of P&DRSG, then gave an up-to-date assessment of the current situation, which is alarming. Grey squirrel numbers have exploded over the last 18 months on the back of warmer winters and good natural feed. The genetics of the grey are very diverse, and this helps strong breeding along with habitat that in general suits it very well.
Concentrating on the group area, given that it is by far the biggest in Cumbria, he made it very clear that his remarks applied to the whole of the county and indeed the country.
The situation is that red populations are shrinking, with constant outbreaks of pox — this is catastrophic and unless P&DRSG and the other groups operating in the county can considerably increase grey control there is a distinct chance that reds will cease to be part of the local landscape. Fertility control of greys in some form is still a long way from becoming a tool to add to the armoury and by the time it does there may be no wild red population.
Robert said “I am immensely proud of what this charity has achieved over the last 30 years.
“We still have red squirrels. There is no doubt that without the work of our dedicated contract rangers and the financial support and hard work of so many volunteers this would not be the case.
“In thanking the trustees, who are all volunteers, supporters, members and sponsors for their incredible dedicated hard work and financial support, I must make it very clear that unless we can increase fundraising, we will not be able to increase the grey control.
“We have reached a tipping point in parts of our area. Reds have already largely disappeared and this will be the case for those areas where we still have good red numbers.”
The meeting closed with an urgent appeal for more members and supporters and for the audience to help make sure the reality of the situation is made clear to all, including MPs, given that while there is support from government, it is nowhere near good enough.
