Good news has been received over the summer – the European Commission have finally published a list of 37 species to which the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation will apply; the grey squirrel is on the list! The EU Regulation requires Member States to put in place surveillance and rapid response mechanisms and to develop management action plans to prevent the introduction, or manage the spread of, invasive non-native species. Although the British public have voted to leave the European Union, this process will take some years and therefore will not affect the implementation of the IAS regulation. Unlike England and Scotland, Wales does not currently have a policy on the control of grey squirrels. We anticipate that this move will boost the momentum to produce a Grey Squirrel Policy for Wales. Watch this space!
Just what impact are those pine martens having on our squirrels? Find out how Chris Harris is playing his part in the Pine Marten Restoration Project and get the latest news from our trail cams. A Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) remote camera has captured some amazing pine marten footage of a kit trying to take its first steps out of the box and then falling. Mum comes to the rescue, but is mid-lunch when it happens and she has a grey squirrel in her mouth! Mum drops the squirrel and rescues her wayward kit, carrying it back up the tree before returning for her squirrel.
This fabulous clip>> demonstrates that grey squirrel control might be one positive outcome of the VWT’s Pine Marten Restoration Project. Read more>>
