People in the Mearns are being urged to log sightings of grey and red squirrels to help monitor their numbers.
Grey squirrels are highly invasive and pose a threat to red squirrels through competition for resources.
Though the grey squirrel population used to be mainly contained within the city limits, greater numbers have been seen in the Mearns area recently. This means that the delicate population of red squirrels there are at risk.
The grey squirrels have mainly been spotted north of the River North Esk in areas including Marykirk, St Cyrus and Benholm.
Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels worry greys could spread further into the Grampians and the Highlands, and efforts are now being made to monitor the spread.
This year’s sightings map is starting to looking great so far! 📌
All sightings are valuable, but if you live in one of our priority areas, your squirrel sightings can be particularly important https://t.co/yZAxaLLlRw
📸Raymond Leinster pic.twitter.com/rtmWFEkEtp
— Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels (@ScotSquirrels) May 11, 2021
The charity is asking locals to get involved in that too by logging sightings of red and grey squirrels on their website.
Sarah Woodfin, monitoring officer for the north-east for Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, said: “Grey squirrels moving north from Angus into Aberdeenshire are a serious threat to local red squirrels, as well as the core Scottish population in the Highlands. The recent reports from the Mearns are worrying and we need help to stop the spread of grey squirrels in the area.”
Squirrelpox
As well as creating more competition for resources, grey squirrels can also spread the squirrelpox virus.
The virus doesn’t harm grey squirrels but is deadly for reds.
Ms Woodfin said: “Grey squirrels threaten red squirrels through competition for resources. Most worryingly they could also potentially bring the deadly squirrelpox virus, which isn’t currently present in Aberdeenshire, with them.
“This virus doesn’t harm grey squirrels but it is deadly for reds. It would be devastating for Scotland’s squirrels if squirrelpox is allowed to spread into the north of the country.”
If squirrelpox spreads among squirrel populations in Aberdeenshire, it could easily spread further to those across the north of Scotland.