Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Red Squirrel Threat.
Red squirrel numbers in Scotland have dwindled over the years as the grey squirrel, a non-native species from North America, has pushed the red out of its natural habitat. A virus spread by the grey and fatal to the red has now spread into Scotland from Cumbria in England, and could wipe out the species completely.
We see red squirrels frequently up around our area, and have threatened the survival of several ourselves when they have darted across the road in front of the car. The Mongrel has nearly wiped herself out to avoid flattening the wee things. One road near us which is lined with trees on both sides has heavy ropes suspended high over the road for the squirrels to cross safely, but they seem to prefer taking a chance at ground level, often with tragic results.
We see red squirrels frequently up around our area, and have threatened the survival of several ourselves when they have darted across the road in front of the car. The Mongrel has nearly wiped herself out to avoid flattening the wee things. One road near us which is lined with trees on both sides has heavy ropes suspended high over the road for the squirrels to cross safely, but they seem to prefer taking a chance at ground level, often with tragic results.
© Colcam 2005-2007
