Saving red squirrels from pox. (1 Viewer)

[Pam_m]

Interesting reading!

An outbreak of pox virus among red squirrels could ultimately help save the species from dying out in the UK.
Scientists are embarking on a study of an epidemic of squirrelpox virus among red squirrels at Formby near Liverpool.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8283000/8283736.stm
Scientists based at the University of Liverpool are now embarking on a four-year project to study these squirrels to find out more about the action and spread of the disease.

 

[pie]

This looks interesting to read thanks Pam.

 

[Kits]

Very interesting, Pam. What I find odd and inexplicable is the fact that there are some red squirrels in Wales and East Anglia. I wonder how they are just in small patches there?

 

[palval147]

I am puzzled about the Red Squirrel population in Wales & East Anglia also. How have those managed to survive the Greys advance. Maybe Greys in those areas don't have the pox? The map certainly highlights the Reds decline.

 

[Pam_m]

A little light reading for you, Kits! I have to be honest and say that I haven't read the links properly yet but will do so later! I hope the links will answer a few of your questions.

http://www.welshwildlife.org/redsquirrelproject_en.link

http://www.pensthorpetrust.org.uk/red-squirrel/index.htm

ps: We posted at almost the same time, Val! Anyway a little light reading for you also!

 

[palval147]

Thanks, Pam. The first link about Red Squirrels in Wales was informative, they are doing their best to preserve the population there, but although they said they took blood samples, of the greys in the study areas, (the caught ones were culled, afterwards), to determine whether the pox was present in them, I can't find an reference to their findings.
The other report is more about the captive breeding programme at Pensthorpe & nothing is said about a wild population there.

 

[Pam_m]

As I said I haven't read the links properly yet, Val. Though I did spot this snippet on the Pensthorpe link...
Against this backdrop, the PCT was approached to seek its participation in a project to raise the profile of the plight of red squirrels and to act as a centre for the breeding of red squirrels for release, to reinforce the declining populations on offshore islands, such as Anglesey.

 

[Kits]

Thanks for the links, Pam. Will read them after dinner.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

I'm not sure how they work out that an outbreak of parapox could help the reds?

 

[Pam_m]

Thanks, Pam. The first link about Red Squirrels in Wales was informative, they are doing their best to preserve the population there, but although they said they took blood samples, of the greys in the study areas, (the caught ones were culled, afterwards), to determine whether the pox was present in them, I can't find an reference to their findings.The other report is more about the captive breeding programme at Pensthorpe & nothing is said about a wild population there.

After extensive research on Google last night I am afraid I came up with zilch to the answer to your question, Val! I am not normally a defeatist but as it was giving me a headache I am a defeatist on this one,:brains: so I have given up the ghost! |:S|That is the problem sometimes with information on some of the links, they do not tell the whole story and we are left in limbo! I am sticking to pics of Blue Tits in future!:flyaway:

 

[Apodemus]

Very interesting, Pam. What I find odd and inexplicable is the fact that there are some red squirrels in Wales and East Anglia. I wonder how they are just in small patches there?

The red population in East Anglia is in Thetford forest, an extensive pine plantation which provides good habitat for reds but not for greys. The North Wales population is based on the island of Ynys Mon (Anglesy), which has, just about, managed to stay grey-free.

Mike

 

[palval147]

If you read this report, the bottom part, from 2005, that Pam posted the link to earlier, Mike, you can see there were Red Squirrels in mid Wales at this time. As Pam said, she can't find any more reference to what happened to them after, so, are there none left in mid Wales now?
Thanks for the update on the East Angian population.

 

[Pam_m]

Red Squirrel news:

Red squirrels have found their way across the Menai Strait from Anglesey to Gwynedd, conservationists believe.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8325967.stm