I have just returned from a seminar by Craig Shuttleworth titled Landscape scale Grey Squirrel control: Lesson from the UK. As you may be able to guess from my blog title I have a contradicting/different viewpoint on the Grey/Red squirrel debate that comes up much too often in biology.
I felt the seminar gave a very biased view towards this debate, heavily sided with Grey Squirrels being the Devil and Red Squirrels Being the best thing since sliced bread.
We begin with Craig showing us pictures of Grey Squirrels and telling us how to achieve these images he searched ‘Grey Squirrel mayhem’.
Here we see and example of ‘Grey Squirrel mayhem’.
Already I could see where this was going. Only to be followed by the usual reasons why Greys are the public’s worst nightmare and their impact on the environment:
An example of Squirrel damage – which can be caused by Reds as well as Greys.
- Bark Stripping
- Nest Predation
- Reducing Red Squirrel populations
- Property damage – Chewing wires in lofts and causing house fires.
Of course Craig forgot to mention that Red Squirrels also do many of these things in the wild and could also be referred to as a pest. However, It doesn’t matter because they’re so CUTE and FLUFFY (this wasn’t actually said but was implied with a picture of two Reds touching noses). After all Red Squirrels are not the nicest animals around.
Aren’t they just adorable…
Craig went on to show us how work completed on Anglesey has eradicated the Grey squirrel on the island and the Red population is growing. However, he later went on to tell us that if Greys for onto Anglesey before they will do it again. Better still with Reds coming from Anglesey over the Menai to the Bangor Area. This means that Squirrel Pox Virus (read more about SQPV here) which is carried by Grey Squirrels can make it’s way back onto Anglesey without a grey squirrel ever crossing the bridge.
SQPV is a virus that only damages Red Squirrels whilst Greys are only carrier. Casing legions on the skin of Reds that can blind them. From point of infection a Red Squirrel will only last three weeks until eventual death.
An example of a Red Squirrel infected with the Squirrel Pox Virus
I know that this comes across very pessimistic of me. A biologist. However, whenever we receive talks about Reds vs. Greys we are never told the negatives of Reds and that they in fact are considered a pest as well. I find it hard to justify the spending of public money to preserve a species. Especially when nobody ever lists off the benefits of having Red Squirrels about other than:
- They are cute and fluffy
- We have a moral obligation to maintain a native species
- Greys are much more of a pest
I think if I could see any benefit to maintaining the Red Squirrel in Britain I would be all for the cause! However, in reality there aren’t any benefits to anybody other than the Red Squirrels themselves which, let’s remind ourselves are a pest (a rat with a fluffy tail if you like). Numbers have reduced so much in Britain that it would take a miracle cure to restore them back to what they were before the introduction of the Grey Squirrel in 1876.
Changes in Red Squirrel distribution since 1945
Overall I think it’s time to let nature run it’s course and see what happens to the Red Squirrel in Britain if it is left to do what it can to survive. After all what really differs between Red and Grey Squirrels, lets just paint some grey squirrels red and be done with this blatant squirrel racism. Is mass genocide really the answer or should we be looking for an alternative happy balance to control the problem and not just the idea of ‘let’s kill it’ and having to repeat this process when grey populations inevitably recover and the process starts all over again?
Does this really solve a problem or just prevent it from happening again?
JAMES HADEN 
A very interesting blog with a view point I haven’t heard before. I think you’re right on some points. The financial burden of culling the Greys will be excessive, if the job is to be done properly. However, the Reds, although a potential pest, are always found in much lower densities than grey squirrels. Also, do you have any empirical evidence that Reds are a pest? I don’t say this to contradict you, I’m genuinely interested in reading about the other side of the debate, since it is so rarely reported.
I do think we have a duty to at least maintain some of our native reds though. They are genetically distinct from the mainland European animals, and the only reason their population has been decimated so totally is due to our intervention in the first place. Although it’s totally infeasible to wipe out grey squirrels, it may be worth endeavouring to continue excluding them from Scotland at the very least, just to protect some of the native reds.
Also, as a biologist I can’t help wondering why humans deem themselves more important than any other species. Why is the fact that either of the species invade our homes such a problem? If we build houses and reduce the amount of habitat available, is it any wonder they move into our houses, and then chew the things they find in there. If anything we should applaud their resourcefulness which displays a curiosity and flexibility of mind that may even rival our own.
All in all I can see your point and would be interested to hear more about. Can you point me in the direction of any relevant literature, or answer my questions/tell me more about your opinion?
Unfortunately the problem is, like you said, this side of the story is rarely reported on. I know it s a controversial point of view and I think that’s the reason why nobody wants to put it online. I searched for ages to link to something in my blog however, there is nothing online at all for the UK.
I know the states where Red Squirrels are less threatened they are much more of a pest. You encounter them in many parks where they steal food. Obviously anything a Grey Squirrel can do to property and Red Squirrel can as well (Here is an example of Reds being a pest in France). A quick search on Youtube show that people in the states are trapping Red Squirrels due to them being regarded as a pest (I won’t link as it shows squirrels dying).
It just annoys me how the argument for saving Red Squirrel disregards there negatives and lists off ALL the negatives of Grey Squirrels. When in reality they are obviously very similar.
Another interesting thing to point out that nobody ever mentions the Black Squirrel mutant that is beginning to cause problems for the Grey Squirrel. Or even there fourth little known type of squirrel in Britain (Brunette Squirrel). Fourth? yes Four type of squirrel but yet all we are ever told is RED GOOD, GREY BAD.
I’m not saying that I don’t like Red Squirrels I’m just saying that nobody has yet convinced me that funding them and killing off Grey Squirrels is worth it in the long run.
Hope this helps a little.
If you have any specific questions about my point of view I would be happy to answer them for you.
I can see your point that Reds have the potential to be a pest, but I’m slightly worried about the factual inaccuaracies of your supporting data.
Firstly, American Red Squirrels are from an entirely different genus (Tamiasciurus) to our Reds and Greys (Sciurus) and therefore have very different life histories, behavioural traits etc. They live in much higher densities than European Red Squirrels and are much smaller, so can more easily fit into houses and human constructed spaces.
Secondly, Black and Brunette Squirrels are varieties of Red and Grey so we still only have 2 species. It has not been proven that their behaviours are signficantly different to their more common counterparts, so it’s still right to talk about Reds and Greys, without explicitly mentioning the rarer varieties.
Also, you’re French story showing Reds are a pest doesn’t actually mention any property damage. They were only inhabiting the roof space. I appreciate that this does make them a pest, but it’s nothing like Greys that chew up insulation to make nests and chew electric cable.
I’m sure Reds are capable of doing all those things, but I wonder if the reason you’re finding it so hard to find supporting evidence is because it doesn’t actually exist. I suspect that the reason there’s no reported incidence of damage is not because everyone loves Reds, like you suggest, but because they actually are far less of a pest than Greys. By their very nature they’re timid and so much less likely to inhabit houses. The French example you gave was of a very old house. It’s possible the squirrels had been using that space for decades, and that it had taken this long for them to pluck up the courage to trust the space and feel safe within it. This is just conjecture, but the very lack of evidence supporting the idea that they are pests suggests, to me, that they’re not.
You have a very interesting view point, but until I see more empiracle evidence to support it, I have to continue with my opinion that Greys are for more of a pest than Red.
However, your point about funding is far more valid. It is highly unlikely that we will ever wipe out Greys, and so is it worth spending all that money on trying? If the original population proliferated from 10 individuals, is there any hope of eradicating them? Do you think it’s at least worth saving the Scottish populations, and focussing the financial support on the border regions? In the long run, it is infeasible to eradicate the Greys, so hard decisions should be made to focus time and money on certain areas, rather than everywhere.
That’ the thing, I am stating MY point of view and I am not trying to persuade anyone that mine is the correct one to have (each to there own).
For me there is no evidence (other than a moral obligation) to preserve the Red Squirrel anywhere in Britain if it is going to cost the public money in the long run. Are there actually any benefits to keeping this species alive? A rodent that is suitable to a disease that will kill it in less than 3 weeks. After all we’re not talking about preserving a species, we are talking about keeping it in our country. On the IUCN Red List it is noted as declining but still classed as ‘Least Concern’.
I did not claim there to be 4 species of squirrel either. Type ≠ species. Additionally you wrote “I appreciate that this does make them a pest” – exactly, they can be a pest. May not be destructive in this case, but a pest. Maybe the lesser reported cases of Reds being a pest is less to do with their size in comparison to Greys and more because there are far more Greys in Britain than there are Reds?
I do not hate red squirrels and would be happy if they were able to thrive in Britain but I don’t want any of my taxes to go towards this cause. If someone can show me a big benefit of having Red Squirrels then I am likely to change my opinion.
I really enjoyed this post! the point after all is to speak YOUR opinion, scientific fact is fact but that doesn’t always mean you have to agree, so high five to you. I didn’t attend this talk and I have no evidence to support me so I wont bother forming an opinion for either side, but whether greys are or are not more of a pest, you are right in saying that the argument is always often one sided. I admit I myself have always pitied and been in favour of the reds because I have always heard how the greys basically came over and screwed everything up for them. And so yes, your point about red bias is very true.
I know there are a lot of comments here already but this discussion is far too interesting to not join in.
I find it perplexing that there isn’t more information on the ecosystem services provided by red squirrels, other than their aesthetic value. That’s not to say that they don’t provide any other services, or that their aesthetic value is not enough to warrant their survival. I’m quite sure that there are benefits to the presence of red squirrels in British forests but that with such restricted areas containing the species there just isn’t enough data to study their effects (and none of the ecosystems are complete with the other species that will most likely interact with them to the betterment of the entire system; such as beavers and pine martens).
Aesthetic or Existence Value shouldn’t be underestimated though.
I’ve just been searching the web for other benefits of red squirrels and I found a comments section for an old topic on Autumn Watch.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/autumnwatch/2009/11/the_red_squirrel_debate_have_y.html
It’s a really silly debate because people haven’t read up on the subject before wading in pitch fork at the ready. Accusations of racism and xenophobia are rife and no one can mention culling without people getting on their hypocritically high horses. The lack of understanding surrounding this whole subject makes things cloudy for the scientists to discuss.
Anyway there’s a really important thing to bear in mind when discussing an invasive and native species; that you don’t cross information over. What I mean is that you don’t talk about the effects grey squirrels have in their natural habitat in an argument about outside their native range. You kept talking about red squirrels in the “states”, is that America? Because the forests of North America are very different from the forests of England, Wales and Scotland.
Sorry my comments so long I got carried away 🙂
It’s really nice to read your exploration of a different view point, after all that’s what science is about.
I really enjoyed reading such an opinionated post. I do agree with you, the seminar seemed tilted towards proving that the red squirrels must be saved from the grey squirrels who are, literally, home-wreckers (chewing through lofts, beams, wires, you name it). I wonder if rats receive the same treatment (and these guys are serious pests)? But that’s for another discussion.
Even though it is true that the grey squirrel is the “invader” here, does this automatically imply that it must receive its current treatment? Personally, I don’t think so. All the culling methods used on population control have been shown to be ineffective in the long run (http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcpn004.pdf/$FILE/fcpn004.pdf). Like you said, they’re ultimately coming out of the taxpayer’s pocket and it looks like they’re leading nowhere (excluding the “success” of the Anglesey project, which doesn’t apply to most scenarios).
One thing that I would like to point out is that maybe you focused a bit too much on your opinion and not enough on the actual contents of the seminar, but nonetheless, a great piece of writing with obvious strong beliefs behind it.