Two baby red squirrels are recovering under the care of wildlife experts after being discovered soaking wet in a ditch. The pair were found at the base of a tree in Oban, Argyll and Bute, on April 1 by a member of the public, who promptly alerted the Scottish SPCA.
It is believed the kits may have fallen from their nest, known as a drey, as no adult squirrel was seen in the vicinity. One of the young squirrels was suspected to have an injured leg, possibly resulting from the fall.
The Scottish SPCA rescued the pair, estimated to be around a month old, and transported them to the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire. The kits, named Fanta and Tango by staff, were administered a course of antibiotics and remain under the supervision of the small mammals team.
Save Our Reds Day
News of the rescue was shared on the inaugural Save Our Reds Day on Friday, a UK-wide campaign aimed at protecting native red squirrels and their habitats. Scotland is home to approximately 80% of the UK’s red squirrel population.
Molly Martin, from the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project, commented: “Red squirrels are a much-loved species here in Scotland. With their russet fur and tufted ears, they’re a real joy to spot when you’re out and about in our woodlands, and even in urban parks and gardens in some parts of the country.”
“We’re lucky to have around 80% of the UK’s red squirrels here, but we are at risk of losing this iconic Scottish wildlife. Red squirrels are under threat from invasive non-native grey squirrels, which outcompete them for food and habitat and can carry the deadly squirrelpox virus. They are also affected by habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and road collisions.”
How the Public Can Help
Martin urged people to get involved with red squirrel conservation by reporting sightings of both red and grey squirrels on the scottishsquirrels.org.uk website. Fanta and Tango have recently been moved to a large outdoor enclosure at the rescue centre, where they can continue their recovery and explore safely.
The Scottish SPCA typically releases red squirrels when they are around 16 weeks old, as by that stage they are fully independent in the wild. Both kits have been microchipped, which will enable the charity to monitor them long after their release.
