Squirrel Pox sweeping through colony of Red Squirrels in Formby

Lancashire Wildlife Trust is appealing for volunteers to help in the battle to save the Red Squirrels in Formby. Eleven Reds have died so far in an outbreak of squirrel pox, which is fatal to them and is carried by Grey Squirrels. The Formby red squirrel colony numbers about 800-1000. They mey be particularly prone to the spread of squirrelpox due to the unusually high density of squirrels in the area brought about by supplementary feeding and the presence of special 'squirrel refuges'. It is possible that the pox might wipe out the Reds if it is not contained. Volunteers can help by contacting the Save our Squirrels project and taking part in an organised search for sick Red Squirrels. If removed, they can be prevented from spreading the infection. Otherwise, the pox could spread through the whole colony.

A spokesperson from Save our Squirrels said: ‘ We are in a desperate situation. Anyone who can spare the time to take part in a regular sweep of the National Trust site should call me straight away. If we don't win this battle, we could be saying goodbye to our Red Squirrels forever.’

Members of the public are strongly advised not to handle sick squirrels without the necessary training and protective equipment.

For more details, contact 'Save our Squirrels Red Alert' at the Wildlife Trust office : 0151 9203769

For further information on Red Squirrel Conservation please look at the website: saveoursquirrels.org.uk