Jim Hardie   496 #37 Posted October 17, 2019 13 minutes ago, makapaka said: Why does it matter if the red squirrel is indigenous - does that make it a superior mammal to the grey squirrel? Clearly not. The grey's superiority is the problem, (for those that see it as a problem). I feed the squirrels that visit my garden. I'd prefer it if they were of the cuter red variety but it's not possible to discriminate and for 95% of us in the UK it never will be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Padders   2,754 #38 Posted October 17, 2019 3 minutes ago, ANGELFIRE1 said: Only in the sense that the "imported" Grey is killing off the native Red. That is why the Grey are able to be killed, while the Red are protected. It is quite easy to understand, how come you do not or cannot grasp the situation.  Angel1.' I'm the same as Makapaka, Angel...…… Our native species under threat from invading species EG, Japanese Knot Weed, Bees, Ladybirds, Crayfish ETC. some blame climate change, but whats it matter nature sorts it out.. human beings have been doing the same thing for centuries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
horribleblob   202 #39 Posted October 17, 2019 16 hours ago, ANGELFIRE1 said: ... The Squirrel Pox Virus ( Parapoxvirus) is usually fatal to red squirrels. Grey squirrels are carriers of the infection and can spread the disease to red squirrels. Greys have developed immunity to the disease having been exposed to the virus for many years. In sharp contrast, the mortality rate for untreated infected red squirrels in the wild appears to be 100%, most dying within 15 days of being infected. If caught early enough a vet may be able to treat the squirrel but success is rare. I remember reading (probably in the i) a couple of months back that a vaccine – available for ten years – has been tested successfully on captive Reds but that the funding to extend vaccination to the wild population hasn't been made available by Defra (Dept for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Guest makapaka   #40 Posted October 17, 2019 (edited) 31 minutes ago, ANGELFIRE1 said: Only in the sense that the "imported" Grey is killing off the native Red. That is why the Grey are able to be killed, while the Red are protected. It is quite easy to understand, how come you do not or cannot grasp the situation.  Angel1. Because it seems to me unusual to want to eliminate one coloured squirrel to keep a different coloured squirrel. when there are loads of red squirrels and hardly any grey ones will people start wanting to kill the red ones off?  Edited October 17, 2019 by makapaka Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Padders   2,754 #41 Posted October 17, 2019 15 minutes ago, makapaka said: Because it seems to me unusual to want to eliminate one coloured squirrel to keep a different coloured squirrel. when there are loads of red squirrels and hardly any grey ones will people start wanting to kill the red ones off?  I'm same as you Maka, the law of nature is, survival of the fittest, its always been the case. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
horribleblob   202 #42 Posted October 17, 2019 1 hour ago, makapaka said: Because it seems to me unusual to want to eliminate one coloured squirrel to keep a different coloured squirrel. when there are loads of red squirrels and hardly any grey ones will people start wanting to kill the red ones off?  Of course not, makapaka, because they are oh so cute – even if they are also carriers of mycobacterium lepromatosis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
ANGELFIRE1   10 #43 Posted October 18, 2019 On 17/10/2019 at 13:07, horribleblob said: Of course not, makapaka, because they are oh so cute – even if they are also carriers of mycobacterium lepromatosis. Science and Environment.  British red squirrels are infected with two different strains of the bacterium that causes leprosy, according to a study. Leprosy was thought to have died out in the UK in medieval times, but these recent discoveries confirm that red squirrels carry the disease. Despite this, researchers are keen to stress that the squirrel infection poses little, if any, threat to humans.  Angel1. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Guest makapaka   #44 Posted October 18, 2019 9 hours ago, ANGELFIRE1 said: Science and Environment.  British red squirrels are infected with two different strains of the bacterium that causes leprosy, according to a study. Leprosy was thought to have died out in the UK in medieval times, but these recent discoveries confirm that red squirrels carry the disease. Despite this, researchers are keen to stress that the squirrel infection poses little, if any, threat to humans.  Angel1. Ok so that’s leprosy covered in respect of red squirrels - Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
hauxwell   234 #45 Posted October 20, 2019 There should be conservation areas for the red squirrels in some areas of the country, if not we could lose them.  They greys seem to be thriving in Sheffield.  I use to like watching them trying to climb up my neighbours washing pole which was heavily coated in oil to stop them pinching the birds food.  There was  a scheme in parts of Northumberland were people were asked to report any sightings of grey squirrels so they could catch them, I don’t think there is one in Sheffield, so the greys have got there own conservation areas to.  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...