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Watch a species disappear.
We are losing them. We know what happens next.
We are losing them. We know what happens next.
Once widespread across the UK - now confined to pockets.
red squirrels across the UK in 1876. Common in woods and gardens nationwide.
red squirrels remain today, estimates vary. Around 2.7 million non-native greys.
This simple interactive map shows the long-term decline of red squirrels - and what happens if nothing changes.
It is stark. It is the truth.
Once counted in their millions, red squirrels now number somewhere in the region of 120,000 to 290,000 across Britain, estimates vary, with around three-quarters of those in Scotland. In England the picture is far starker: Natural England's modelling puts the population as low as around 15,000.
Meanwhile, there are an estimated 2.7 million grey squirrels.
Red squirrels are classified as Endangered on Britain's Red List for Terrestrial Mammals.
Greys outcompete reds and carry squirrelpox, which is fatal to reds. Habitat loss continues alongside.
This is not theoretical.
Without action, we will lose our red squirrels.
‘I cannot think of a better mascot for our country than the red squirrel.’
His Majesty King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, speaking at Levens Hall, Cumbria. The King is Patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust.
We need a joined-up national plan:
At the moment, these efforts are fragmented.
‘Otherwise, we are simply managing decline.’
Marie Carter-Robb, Founder, Save Our Reds campaign
Grey squirrels are larger, more robust, and can digest acorns before they ripen - a food source red squirrels cannot access. They outcompete reds for food and territory, preventing breeding.
Grey squirrels carry squirrelpox virus (SQPV), to which they are immune. For red squirrels, it is almost always fatal - causing populations to decline 17-25 times faster than competition alone.
Loss and fragmentation of woodland has reduced the connected habitat red squirrels need to survive. Isolated populations cannot sustain themselves or recolonise former ranges.
Organisations including Red Squirrels Northern England, Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels, and Ulster Wildlife run ranger and volunteer programmes. They monitor populations, control grey expansion, and protect remaining strongholds across Cumbria, Northumberland, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Researchers at Bangor University (Bradwell, Benson and Shuttleworth) have reported a promising squirrelpox vaccine for red squirrels. An earlier programme lapsed for lack of funding, and sustained investment is now needed to move from laboratory success to protection in the field - a gap our campaign is pushing to close.
APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) is developing an oral contraceptive for grey squirrels as a humane, long-term alternative to culling. Trials are underway but the work needs sustained investment to reach deployment.
Kielder Forest holds around half of England's reds. The Isle of Wight (~3,500), Anglesey (~800, grey-free since 2012), and Brownsea Island (~200) are protected island populations. The Scottish Highlands north of the Fault Line remain grey-free.
Help protect what remains.
Over 85,000 people have already backed the Save Our Reds campaign.
If you care about the future of this species, please sign and share.
🐿️ change.org/save-our-redsThis visualisation is based on published distribution data and conservation records, including:
Population figures from The Mammal Society (2018), UK Squirrel Accord, PTES, and Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels. Britain's red squirrel population has fallen from an estimated 3.5 million to somewhere in the region of 120,000 to 290,000 today, estimates vary, with around three-quarters in Scotland. Grey squirrel population ~2.7 million. Scotland's Highland Boundary Fault Line forms a key division: no grey squirrels exist north of this line. Map data: Natural Earth (10m), Open Government Licence.
Grey squirrels were first introduced to Henbury Park, Cheshire in 1876. Around 30 documented releases occurred between 1876-1930. Key sites: Woburn Park (1890), Richmond Park (1902), Regent's Park (1905-07). Squirrelpox causes red squirrel decline 17-25x faster than competition alone (RSNE/APHA).