Red squirrel warning as species at risk after bumper crop | UK | News
A population boom in gray squirrels is expected after the hot, dry summer season produces abundant nuts and seeds.
The European Squirrel Initiative conservation charity said 2025 was expected to be a “mast” year for certain tree species such as oak, beech, hazel and chestnut. This means there will be more winter food to support larger populations of gray squirrels, which are an invasive species and not native to the British Isles.
As a result, incidences of tree damage caused by animals are expected to increase, and endangered native red squirrels, which are approximately 26% smaller than invasive grays, will be pushed to the brink.
The Royal Forestry Society has produced a report estimating that gray squirrel damage in England and Wales could cost at least £1.1 billion over the next 40 years.
ESI’s Charles Dutton said: “With seeds and nuts in abundance, we can expect better gray squirrel survival rates over winter and more resources for breeding, so populations will inevitably increase. “When gray squirrel numbers increase, we see more damage to trees, particularly through bark stripping.
“This debarking occurs primarily between April and October, at a point where we can expect these buffer populations to be active.”
ESI hopes to reduce gray squirrel numbers through humane and cost-effective solutions, such as spreading female infertility genes through the population.
