Trees for Life has launched an appeal to raise £22,000 to help red squirrels return to the Scottish Highlands
The conservation charity hopes that ‘The reds return’ campaign will go some way to re-establish the native squirrels in the area.
If successful, it will help reintroduce red squirrels in up to eight woodlands in the north-west Highlands where, experts hope, new populations will be able to flourish, safe from competition and disease from grey squirrels.
“Although one of our best-loved wild animals, red squirrels are sadly missing from suitable woodlands across the Highlands,” said Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s chief executive.
“They cannot reach these isolated havens on their own, because they avoid crossing large open spaces. Every donation will help us reintroduce red squirrels to ideal forest habitats. Returning them to forests safe from grey squirrels will help conserve this charismatic species forever.”
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Micklewright said the plan would also help the natural expansion of the region’s pine forests. This is because red squirrels inadvertently plant new trees by forgetting where they have buried their winter stores of nuts and seeds.
Over the last three years, Trees for Life has been carefully transporting red squirrels from their strongholds in Inverness-shire and Moray to isolated fragments of…
