Sefton Red squirrels bounce back after huge decline

Red squirrel numbers are bouncing back after an outbreak of squirrelpox. Credit Darin Smith/Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

December 2009. The once thriving population of red squirrels on Merseyside recently suffered a drastic decline due to a squirrel pox outbreak. This devastating disease is carried by grey squirrels and is lethal to reds. The epidemic began in the urban area of Ainsdale in mid-2006 and quickly spread to the Ainsdale National Nature Reserve, where it wiped out the entire red squirrel population. Over the next year it made its way steadily southwards and by 2008 had infected all of the Formby pinewoods, killing many hundreds of red squirrels.

80% red squirrels disappeared
Monitoring carried out by Red Alert volunteers and co-ordinated by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust showed that the red squirrel population had fallen to 20% of its normal size by October 2008. Fortunately, however, the disease had burned itself out by December of that year, leaving red squirrels in Hightown and Blundellsands unaffected.

Lancashire's Red squirrels are under threat from Squirrelpox. Photo credit William Lee.

Bad winter followed by threefold increase in numbers
The hard winter of 2008/09 took a further toll and by March numbers were down to 15% of normal, but results just in from the October survey indicate that red squirrels have had a very productive breeding season this year, producing a threefold increase in their population numbers. 

Fiona Whitfield, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust's Conservation Officer said: "This staggering recovery is testament to the hard work and enthusiasm that the Red Alert partners, volunteers and staff have put in, it is vital that we continue to commit to the recovery of the red squirrel in this area."

More squirrelpox in October
The battle to save Sefton's red squirrels is far from over. Luckily, a very localised outbreak of squirrel pox in Blundellsands this October failed to spread but it remains of the utmost importance to keep invading grey squirrels away from our reds. People are urged to report all sightings of both grey and red squirrels in the Sefton area to the Wildlife Trust on 07590 745862.

This week the Wildlife Trust launched a ‘Double Your Donation' campaign to help raise funds for local red squirrel conservation through the ‘Big Give' website, which can be found at www.thebiggive.org.uk/saveourreds to have your donation doubled and help give our reds an even better chance of survival.