Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre’s species database has almost 3 million individual records. Thousands of species are included in this database but two of the most commonly recorded species are Red and Grey Squirrels. This reflects the level of interest in these two species, conserving the iconic native Red Squirrel while trying to control the invasive, but often personable, Grey.
Squirrel records come from a variety of different sources, from individuals sending in their records via the CBDC recording forms or using apps, as well as a variety of different organisations who record squirrels alongside other species. There are, however, groups dedicated to the conservation of Red Squirrels who regularly record the two different squirrel species.
National to Local Organisations
Red Squirrel conservation is made up of many different organisations and, to the casual observer, can appear a little complicated! The UK Squirrel Accord (UKSA) is a UK-wide partnership of 45 organisations some of which are focused entirely on squirrels but others with an interest in squirrel conservation/control. A quick look at the list provided on the sister organisation to UKSA, the Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST), demonstrates the range of organisations interested solely in Red Squirrel conservation, Grey Squirrel control and research into both species across the UK (https://www.rsst.org.uk/volunteers/red-squirrel-organisations-and-groups/).
UKSA is leading a number of research projects and pilots across the country aimed at managing Grey Squirrels to allow Red Squirrels to spread beyond their current restricted ranges. One such pilot is taking place in Northern England including the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, County Durham, East Yorkshire and Northumberland.
At a more regional level, Red Squirrels Northern England (RSNE), led by Northumberland Wildlife Trust but involving a range of partners, carries out management, research and recording of Red and Grey Squirrels. They are also involved in developing a new project called the Red Squirrel Recovery Network which will link over 50 volunteer groups in Northern England and Southern Scotland, seeking to test and trial new approaches for the control of Grey Squirrels (including fertility control), engage more people in conservation of Red Squirrels, and obtain more information on the numbers of squirrels across the region.
The many volunteer groups that operate across Northern England are represented by another organisation, Northern Red Squirrels. It provides a collective voice for local groups and support to these very hands-on groups that carry out effective control and implement conservation measures in their communities. In Cumbria alone, there are 16 local Red Squirrel groups and 15 are represented by Northern Red Squirrels. Almost the whole geographical area of Cumbria is covered by one of the local groups. As well as providing the bulk of Grey Squirrel control in their particular area, each local group also compiles sightings of both squirrel species.
For information on your local squirrel group, do visit the Norther Red Squirrels website: https://www.northernredsquirrels.org.uk/nrs-groups/.
Recording Squirrels in Cumbria
It is great that there are so many organisations and individuals interested in squirrels but who should you send your squirrel observations to? The short answer is anyone but do select just the one to avoid duplication of records. If you send to too many organisations, one squirrel record could become three or four records very quickly, creating a false impression of the squirrel situation.
The easiest way to record is probably through the free recording apps, iNaturalist and iRecord. These apps allow you to upload a photograph which help verify your observation. There are squirrel recording apps available but these have proven to be more difficult to verify and hence might not reach the local groups/CBDC.
Reporting directly to your local group will help to deliver on-ground measures such as control and conservation more quickly while reporting direct to CBDC will help ensure that those responsible for planning and development get the most up-to-date information as quickly as possible.
CBDC is looking to work more closely with the local groups so that their squirrel records become more quickly and efficiently integrated into the CBDC database and so are better able to inform decision-making across the county, particularly in terms of development. This will be a two-way process so that any data collected by CBDC via the recording apps or sent to us directly are also returned to the local groups to help inform their management and conservation efforts. As such, it shouldn’t matter who you send your observations to as long as you send them in!
So do tell someone when you see a Red or Grey Squirrel…
Other sources of information:
UK Squirrel Accord: https://squirrelaccord.uk/
Red Squirrel Survival Trust: https://www.rsst.org.uk/
Red Squirrels Northern England: https://rsne.org/
Red Squirrels Recovery Network: https://www.nwt.org.uk/what-we-do/projects/rsrn
Northern Red Squirrels: https://www.northernredsquirrels.org.uk/