Trees for Life, a rewilding charity, has successfully reintroduced six red squirrels into broadleaf woodland on the Drimnin Estate, located on the west coast of Scotland’s Morvern peninsula. The release, which was made possible with the support of the landowners, is a significant step towards re-establishing the species in the area.
According to Sarah Woodfin, the Red Squirrel Project Manager for Trees for Life, the arrival of these squirrels marks a new chapter in the rewilding success story and offers hope for the long-term survival of these beloved and charismatic creatures. She also believes that with continued improvements in tree cover, the squirrels will eventually be able to spread throughout the entire northern coastline of Scotland’s west coast and potentially even reach the neighbouring Ardnamurchan peninsula.
The newly released red squirrels have already been spotted playing and feeding in the woodlands of the Drimnin Estate. Rhonda Newsham, the Estate’s Visitor Manager, expressed excitement and gratitude for being entrusted with the care of these animals. She hopes that in this remote location, the squirrels will be protected from the risks they face in other areas and can thrive and expand their population throughout the Morvern peninsula.
The population of red squirrels in Scotland has been drastically reduced to an estimated 120,000 due to loss of habitat, historic persecution, and competition from the non-native grey squirrel. Trees for Life’s reintroduction project aims to give the red squirrels a fighting chance by carefully relocating small numbers from healthy populations to suitable woodlands. This approach has already seen the release of 235 squirrels at 12 sites across the northwest Highlands since 2016. With continued breeding and expansion, it is estimated that the current releases will result in a total population of 5,300 red squirrels in the region.
The reintroduction of red squirrels also has positive effects on the natural expansion of Scots pine forests, as the squirrels plant new trees by forgetting where they have buried their winter food stores. Community involvement and citizen science are crucial to the success of this project, with local people offering donor sites, reporting sightings, and carrying out supplementary feeding at the release sites.
With Scotland facing a significant decline in its natural environment and many species on the brink of extinction, Trees for Life is urging people to sign the Scottish Rewilding Alliance’s Rewilding Nation Charter at www.rewild.scot/charter. This charter calls on the Scottish Government to declare Scotland a rewilding nation, with a commitment to nature recovery across 30% of land and sea.
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