health
February 6, 2026
‘On a knife edge’: can England’s red squirrel population be saved?
Government plans to protect species by increasing woodland and removing greys, but campaigners say it needs to go further
TL;DR
- Red squirrel populations in England have drastically declined, with an estimated 38,900 remaining.
- Invasive grey squirrels outcompete reds for food and transmit squirrelpox, a fatal disease to reds.
- Habitat loss, particularly the decline of ancient woodlands, further threatens red squirrels.
- The government has launched a new action plan to increase woodland and remove grey squirrels from red squirrel strongholds.
- Proposed methods include contraceptive vaccines for grey squirrels and incentivizing landowners to remove them.
- Campaigners and conservationists believe the plan needs to be more robust and adequately funded.
- Reintroducing pine martens is considered a promising strategy, as they prey on grey squirrels but not red squirrels.
- The historical introduction of grey squirrels to the UK in the late 19th century is attributed to the 11th Duke of Bedford.
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