Two baby red squirrels are recovering after being found wet in a ditch in Oban, Argyll and Bute. The kits, estimated to be around a month old, were discovered at the base of a tree on 1 April by a member of the public, who alerted the Scottish SPCA.
It is believed the pair may have fallen from their nest, known as a drey, as no adult squirrel was present. One of the young squirrels is thought to have sustained a leg injury, possibly from the fall. The Scottish SPCA rescued the duo and transported them to the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire.
Staff at the centre have named the squirrels Fanta and Tango. They are currently undergoing a course of antibiotics and are under the care of the small mammals team. The rescue was shared on the first ever Save Our Reds Day, part of a UK-wide campaign to protect native red squirrels.
Scotland is home to 80 per cent of the UK’s red squirrel population. Molly Martin, from the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project, said: “Red squirrels are a much-loved species here in Scotland. With their russet fur and tufted ears, they’re a real joy to spot.” She added that red squirrels are under threat from invasive grey squirrels, which outcompete them and carry squirrelpox virus.
Fanta and Tango, both male, have been moved to a large outdoor enclosure at the rescue centre. The Scottish SPCA releases red squirrels when they are around 16 weeks old, once they are fully independent. The kits have been microchipped to allow long-term monitoring after release.
