Plans to save endangered red squirrel
Latest research has shown numbers of this tiny woodland mammal are falling 1% per annum, largely due to the infestation of a non-native cousin, the larger grey squirrel.
North American grey squirrels were released in Ireland at Castle Forbes, Co Longford, in 1911 and have been colonising southwards since, driving out the more timid red species.
Yesterday a draft species action plan for the endangered red squirrel was launched by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
The public has been invited to give its views on the plan before it is finalised early in 2008.
In a nutshell, the plan outlines the conservation actions needed to secure the future of the red squirrel over the next five years.
Similar all-Ireland species action plans have been developed for the hare, the corncrake, Irish lady’s tresses orchid and the pollan — a fish found only in Ireland.
“Implementation of these plans is underway and further action plans for bats, Killarney Fern, Kerry slug and the otter will be published shortly,” a spokesperson for the NPWS said.
It has been estimated that this country is home to 40,000 pairs of red squirrels. The grey squirrel has populated 16 of the 32 counties and is expanding at a rate of 1.9km per year.
“However, grey squirrels have not yet gained a foothold in counties west of the Shannon,” the NPWS said.
The plan suggests action like translocation projects, where red squirrels are moved to areas where they face less competition from greys. Other measures identified include the promotion of certain types of forestry which better suit red squirrels when compared with greys.
Yesterday, Environment Minister John Gormley said: “The red squirrel is one of our most iconic and beautiful species and this plan gives details of the actions we need to undertake to ensure that this beautiful animal remains a viable part of our biodiversity.”
