Squirrel Wars in Britain

By Jim on April 26th, 2008

Red squirrels versus Blacks versus Greys.

The last stronghold of the native red squirrel is under attack in the North, while black “super squirrels” have begun a rearguard assault on their grey rivals in the South.

It was the sort of scene that unfolds every morning in British back gardens. As soon as he opened the curtains Martin Coats saw a squirrel run along his garden wall and over the fence into the fir trees at the back. Though he thought little of it at the time, conservation groups confirmed that his street is now in the front line of the war against grey squirrels.

But history may be repeating as the greys, an American species introduced to Britain in the 19th century, are struggling against more aggressive black squirrels. These are thought to be fitter and stronger than the greys. They first appeared in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, and have spread to Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, and are now heading towards Suffolk. There are estimated to be about 25,000.

In parts of the countryside, especially around Letchworth and Hitchin, they have managed to reach parity with their grey relations and are forecast to take exclusive control.The mutation that gave rise to the black squirrel was identified by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.