Reds take on greys in battle of the squirrels

IT may sound nuts but a dozen red squirrels have been released into the wild as part of a national plan to reintroduce the animals to their natural habitat.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council released the squirrels into the woodlands around Killiney Hill last week in an attempt to boost their tiny population, which although native to Ireland, has been diminished by rival grey squirrels.

The council has been successful in conserving a small number of red squirrels on Killiney Hill but the number of grey squirrels in the area has also increased, and they are becoming an increasing threat.

Before they were released the squirrels, which were brought from County Wexford, were placed in enclosures on Killiney Hill for two weeks to enable them to acclimatise to their new environment.

The local authority is carrying out the project under the supervision and licensing of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which is currently undertaking a national project to protect and conserve the national red squirrel population.

The red squirrel has been suffering a steady decline across the country largely due to the introduction of the grey squirrel, which came to Ireland from North America in 1911.

Their larger size, prolific breeding and wider diet allows them to out-compete red squirrels in broad-leaved woodlands. Grey squirrels can also carry the squirrel poxvirus, which does not harm them, but causes a high rate of deaths in reds.

Since its introduction the grey squirrel has also caused considerable damage to trees and woodlands by stripping bark. Red squirrels are protected under the Irish Wildlife Act 1976 and the Irish Wildlife Amendment Act 2000.

Tim Carey, heritage officer at Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, said the council will encourage local landowners to take measures to support the local red squirrel population in Killiney and surrounding areas.

“We want to set up a ‘Friends of the Red Squirrel’ local conservation group to report sighting of reds and greys in their gardens, so that we know where they are and what the levels of activity are,

? he said.

“In places like Killiney and Dalkey there are public parks, which form a significant percentage of the area but you also have a very large number of big gardens and the involvement of the people who own them will be key to the success of the project.

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Mr Carey believes that Killiney Hill could sustain a population of about 50 red squirrels in the medium term. However, he added that those involved in the project hope that the animals will establish themselves outside the area in the longer term.