Like the Red Fox, that I featured a few days ago (Day 18 - Red Fox), the species in the spotlight today is a mammal that has become a very familiar sight in our towns and cities here in the UK. Unlike the fox however, today's species - the Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) - is not native to the British Isles (or indeed to anywhere in Europe). Grey Squirrels are native to eastern North America and we introduced to the UK in the 19th Century. Since its introduction it has displaced the native Red Squirrel from much of lowland Britain, although in upland areas, such as in the Lake District, parts of Northumberland and the Scottish Highlands, where there are substantial areas of pine forest, they don't do very well and Reds are able to out-compete them.
It used to be thought that Greys were just more aggressive and competitive than Reds and that that was why they had pushed them out. While this may be partly true, there is also a virus, called squirrelpox, which Grey Squirrels carry and which their red cousins quickly succumb to when infected.
Despite their invasive nature and their role in causing the decline of Red Squirrels, Greys are beloved of many people in the UK. They are very happy in parks and gardens and often provide a connection with a wild creature for people who get precious little contact with nature. I can still remember the first squirrel I ever saw, at a very young age (five or six maybe). My family were walking in Beverley Westwood, near Hull, during a visit to my grandma, and my dad pointed it out to me jumping from branch to branch. It was definitely the highlight of the trip for me.
The squirrel in the pictures below made an appearance on the decking outside my kitchen window this morning, actually when I was writing today's blog about a different species. It was the first one that we have seen in our garden since we moved here and I knew straight away that I had to change my plan for today's Spotlight, and write about Grey Squirrels instead.
Nice to see a balanced account of Grey Squirrels.
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