Red squirrels have expanded their range across the Scottish Highlands by more than a quarter following a decade-long reintroduction programme. The project, run by the rewilding charity Trees for Life, has established over a dozen new thriving sites from Ullapool to Morvern to Lairg.
The species once came close to extinction in Britain due to being killed as pests and habitat destruction. A deadly virus carried by invasive grey squirrels has also hampered their recovery. Scotland now hosts 80% of the UK's red squirrel population, estimated at around 200,000.
Becky Priestley, a project manager at Trees for Life, said: 'This rewilding success story is offering hope for the long-term survival of Scotland's much-loved red squirrels, and shows how we can make a real and positive difference to our native wildlife.'
The reintroductions involve moving small numbers of animals from healthy populations in Inverness-shire, Moray and Strathspey to suitable woods in the north and north-west, where they are safe from greys. The squirrels are given health checks and extra food for a few months to help them settle.
Before the reintroductions, reds were missing from most of their former range in the north and north-west Highlands, with last sightings generally from the 1970s. The charity plans to expand the species' range further as part of its Missing Species programme, which also aims to bring back lynx, beavers and a modern equivalent of aurochs.
