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Red Squirrel

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    #122
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    A friends dog picked up an adult male red squirrel almost dead from squirrel pox on the Little Sugarloaf near Bray the other day. We dispatched it humanely. First time I've seen this disease close up and it really is horrible. I won't post a picture here as it might upset some people. I know the gamekeeper on that land and he culls grey squirrels at every oppertunity. Still didn't prevent the disease reaching the reds high up on the hill. I was surprized there were any left there at all.


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    #123
    mecksimay
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭mecksimay


    See press release below from NPWS on procedure for sick/dead red squirrels.

    Concern over disease in Irish red squirrels
    Date Released: 13 December 2011A red squirrel from Co. Wicklow has died from squirrel pox virus (SQPV). This is the first confirmed record of this virus in the Republic of Ireland. SQPV was confirmed earlier this year in Northern Ireland. The virus is carried by grey squirrels, who do not appear to suffer from it, but it is not clear why the disease is now turning up in Irish red squirrels. The disease is generally fatal to red squirrels and has been a significant factor in the decline of the red squirrel across England.
    Red squirrels with SQPV rapidly develop myxomatosis type symptoms and die within a matter days. [Some photos of diseased animals can be viewed here for reference - warning: some of these images are disturbing: http://northernredsquirrels.org.uk/pox2.htm]. NPWS are asking people to keep their eyes open and send any records of diseased/dead red squirrels, together with details of location and a photo if possible, to natureconservation@environ.ie.
    Although there are no records of SQPV infecting humans, members of the public are advised not to handle sick or dead squirrel.


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    #124
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    I reported my sighting to NPWS. From the pics they confirmed SQPV:mad:


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    #125
    mecksimay
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭mecksimay


    Apologies Half Cocked I didn't intend to make you mad, I was just updating forum with procedures outlined by NPWS for other subscribers.


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    #126
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    mecksimay wrote: »
    Apologies Half Cocked I didn't intend to make you mad, I was just updating forum with procedures outlined by NPWS for other subscribers.

    No need to apologise - I was mad that it was confirmed as SQPV, not at you! It took me a while to find the right person to report to in NPWS, so your posted link will be of great assistance to anyone else who finds a diseased squirrel.


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    #127
    Traonach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 419 ✭✭Traonach


    http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/hope_for_scotland_s_red_squirrels_as_researchers_develop_killer_pox_vaccine_1_1365565
    They are developing a vaccine for Squirrel pox. Hopefully it comes onto market before it's too late and Red squirrels become extinct for a second time in this country:(.


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    #128
    Traonach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 419 ✭✭Traonach


    Half-cocked wrote: »
    No need to apologise - I was mad that it was confirmed as SQPV, not at you! It took me a while to find the right person to report to in NPWS, so your posted link will be of great assistance to anyone else who finds a diseased squirrel.
    I don't know whether it is legal or not, but it would be better if you could shoot those infected squirrels (if you see more of them). It would put them out of their misery and stop infection spreading to other reds.


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    #129
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    Traonach wrote: »
    http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/hope_for_scotland_s_red_squirrels_as_researchers_develop_killer_pox_vaccine_1_1365565
    (.

    Would be nice to see the Irish universities getting involved in this effort.


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    #130
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    European Squirrel Initiative
    I don't remember this being highlighted before in this thread.


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    #131
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    Mothman wrote: »
    European Squirrel Initiative
    Too much hate in it for my liking.


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    #132
    arctan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 354 ✭✭arctan


    would red and grey's cross breed ?

    I haven't seen a red squirrell since my last trip to Kilkenny castle a few years back, but I have seen grey's with noticeable red hair in them.


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    #133
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    Hey, if they were shooting people with grey hair, you'd be dyeing your hair ginger too..:pac:


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    #134
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Report on RTE today about third confirmed case of SQPV.

    Be aware, the report contains photos of a squirrel infected with the virus.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/av/2012/0119/media-3172866.html#


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    #135
    doctor evil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    The narrator of that news segment does my head in.


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    #136
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Ah yes, Philip Bromwell and his serious reports about fluffy kittens and the like. :)


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    #137
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭Bsal


    I seen a Grey Squirrel in Ballyboughal today, should they still be hibernating or are they on time this year?


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    #138
    F.R.
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭F.R.


    Bsal wrote: »
    I seen a Grey Squirrel in Ballyboughal today, should they still be hibernating or are they on time this year?

    Squirrels do not hibernate. They are less active in winter when it is cold so they are less visible.


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    #139
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    F.R. wrote: »
    Squirrels do not hibernate. They are less active in winter when it is cold so they are less visible.
    Although in deciduous woods without the canopy, they can be obvious in winter


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    #140
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Have spotted 2 red squirrel in the space of a week in Farran woods in cork, when i was out running, no fear in them , they only moved when i ran within 2-3 meters of them :D


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    #141
    roy rodgers
    Registered Users Posts: 1,492 ✭✭✭roy rodgers


    Seen a red one on up in the hill of allen in co. kildare last saturday. that was my first one that I have seen in years


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    #142
    mecksimay
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭mecksimay


    There are various surveys going on in Ireland on squirrels. Sightings of reds and greys can be submitted to a dedicated website www.woodlandmammals.com. Also there's a Squirrels in Ireland facebook (https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Squirrels-in-Ireland/129229040528770) and twitter account (https://twitter.com/#!/SquirrelsIRL) if you want to join/follow or share photos and/or submit sightings!


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    #143
    yammycat
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭yammycat


    marley park in south dublin is full of red squirrels, you can walk around it without seeing one running about the place


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    #144
    ThunderCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭ThunderCat


    Pretty sure it was a red squirrel that ran out in front of my car yesterday. Luckily I didn't hit the little guy and my first thought was "hey a squirrel" which a few seconds later turned to "hang on, that guy was red". Don't ever recall seeing a red squirrel before. Was just outside Balbriggan, Co.Dublin by the way.


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    #145
    cuddlycavies
    Registered Users Posts: 970 ✭✭✭cuddlycavies


    Dead one on the road near Hills Roundabout Bray today. Sad obviously but good that they're still about given that the greys are a garden animal in Greystones/Bray these days. Reds in the conifers there at hills and also in some scots pines on the corner of Killarney and church rd. Could be the most easterly population although I heard they're on Howth head.


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    #146
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    littlebug wrote: »
    It's a long way from you but I saw one in the woods in Cong, Co Mayo a while back. If I actually go looking for them though I can never see any :rolleyes:

    Wow was that really 2 year ago? :) Despite looking for them on a few occasions I didn't see any more til yesterday, deep in the woods, scampering up a tree. Luckily I saw him/ her before my dog did.


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    #147
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,380 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i'm surprised this hasn't been posted here:

    http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/1001/opinion/halting-march-of-grey-squirrel-209326.html


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    #148
    cuddlycavies
    Registered Users Posts: 970 ✭✭✭cuddlycavies


    Interesting. There is a Pine Marten stronghold in Laoise Offaly and greys are fairly absent whilst reds are going well.


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    #149
    robp
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,934 ✭✭✭robp


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    i'm surprised this hasn't been posted here:

    http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/1001/opinion/halting-march-of-grey-squirrel-209326.html

    I hope this is indeed is a genuine trend.
    It left me wondering what could be done to boost Pine marten numbers around the country?


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    #150
    thyme
    Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭thyme


    There's a Scots Pine about 2mtrs from the house here, and one of the Reds has desided to make it's winter home on one of the branches, just spotted it today running up and down with twigs and moss. I havent seen the " parents " in a long time, once they go into the forest it is harder to spot them, and it's just a swamp now so it's not as easy anymore to go through it without making a racket and frighting them up into the canopy. It's just the little ones you see running around gathering nuts and burying them for harder times.


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    #151
    Kess73
    Registered Users Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    ThunderCat wrote: »
    Pretty sure it was a red squirrel that ran out in front of my car yesterday. Luckily I didn't hit the little guy and my first thought was "hey a squirrel" which a few seconds later turned to "hang on, that guy was red". Don't ever recall seeing a red squirrel before. Was just outside Balbriggan, Co.Dublin by the way.





    Funny thing about the two types of squirrel in Ireland is that the grey squirrel can at times be a brownish red in colour and the red squirrel can range from brownish red to a greyish colour especially in winter.


    So it is not uncommon for people to get a quick glimpse of a reddish squirrel and have it turn to be a grey squirrel and for a greyish squirrel to turn out to be a red squirrel.


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