An award-winning Cumbrian photographer and broadcaster hopes to shine a light on the plight of red squirrels in a new documentary.
Terry Abraham, who lives in the Eden Valley, shot to fame in 2014 when his BBC documentary Life on a Mountain saw him spend a year on Scafell Pike telling the story of England’s highest mountain.
But his latest project allows Terry, in his own words, “to do a passion project without mainstream influences”.
He hopes to tell the story of the situation facing red squirrels by filming them here in Cumbria – the country’s last remaining stronghold for the species.
“It was well over a year ago,” said Terry, outlining when his documentary journey started.
“I’ve always had an interest in wildlife and red squirrels and I got in contact with Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group and began helping with monitoring red squirrels, topping up feeders and so on.
“Red squirrels are legally protected, but despite the legal protection, there is no government funding to protect them.
“The Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group and the groups in places like Keswick, Copeland and the South Lakes, fully rely on volunteers, donations and public grants. Working to make sure red squirrels survive and thrive.”
The filmmaker is keen to tackle mistruths around grey squirrels, who many believe have always been present in our forests.
“In the late 1800s the Victorians brought over grey squirrels from North America, as they believed they were more friendly (than the red),” said Terry.
“Within 100 years they brought the reds to near extinction.”
The squirrels were introduced to high-class estates and country homes as ornamental additions.
As well as many greys carrying parapox, a virus that does not affect them but can be deadly to their red counterparts, they also eat green acorns before they ripen, a key food source for the reds.
Red squirrels are also less likely to breed when they are under pressure.
But it’s not just their impact on red squirrels that conservationists worry about, grey squirrels can also have a detrimental impact on ecosystems.
They:
- Cause damage to trees such as beech, oak and chestnut by stripping bark at the base of the trees.
- Raid birds’ nests to prey on eggs and chicks.
- Damage orchards and gardens, destroy bulbs and corms, eat tree nuts and recently sown seeds.
Terry hopes to bring together everyone from experts to schoolchildren to share their experiences and thoughts on red squirrels.
“People think one looks like the other, but when you spend time in their company like I have you see the distinction, you see the tufts in their ears, how bushy their tails are and their personalities,” said Terry.
He started filming the Cumbrian Red documentary in January, with the film expected to premiere in April next year. https://www.youtube.com/embed/6u2zptOzLEU?feature=oembed
One tool in the fight to save red squirrels is a contraceptive, which is now being rolled out by DEFRA in an effort to curb the population growth of greys.
“It stops the grey squirrels from reproducing, but it affects reds as well,” said Terry.
One method used by the government department is to lure grey squirrels into feeding boxes only they can access, with little pots containing hazelnut spread spiked with an oral contraceptive.
Aside from contraceptives, the only other way to protect red squirrels is to have greys dispatched.
There are great things happening locally to protect red squirrels, including at Center Parcs at Whinfell Forest.
“I’ve been doing this for 18 years and we’ve made great progress,” said Jerry Moss, red squirrel ranger for Center Parcs and trustee at Penrith and District Red Squirrel Group.
“In the 18 years I have been doing it, the Penrith and District Red Squirrel Group volunteers have been working hard to help and they are now a registered charity.
“If the group hadn’t done the work for the last few years, I don’t think we’d be having this conversation and we’d be overrun with greys.”
Hard work pays off
Jerry, 53, estimates that in Whinfell Forest there are between 100 and 150 red squirrels.
“I have been doing this job for 18 years and I still have red squirrels in areas I have worked for a long time and some areas where I’d not seen any have got red squirrels back again because of the work we are doing,” he said.
“This is the only way to keep red squirrels in our area, and to do that we need funding.”
Jerry’s job includes managing and monitoring grey squirrel populations, ensuring red squirrels have adequate food and general conservation work.
Although predominately filming across the Eden Valley, Terry will be capturing footage around the county in areas such as Windermere, Grasmere and Eskdale.
His film will also explore the impact the introduction of pine martens could have on grey and red squirrel populations.
Research suggests that when used in the right environments, the introduction of pine martens can help to stabilise red squirrel populations and lead to a reduction in greys.
“The situation for red squirrels in our area is good,” concludes Terry.
Hopefully, the work of volunteers and conservationists can continue this trend for years to come.
Terry has set up a fundraiser to help pay for some of the state-of-the-art equipment used for his shoots, with some of the proceeds going to Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group.
Donate here: Cumbrian Red | Indiegogo
To support the work of the Penrith and District Red Squirrel Group, click here: You Can Help – Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group
