Pine Martins and Squirrels

[petrochemicals]

Apparently pine martins are back to appearing in unexpected places

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news.../11/26/plucky-pine-marten-journeys-to-county/

Which is good news for red squirrels

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ld-save-britains-red-squirrels-say-scientists

 

[moocher]

They released some in the forest of dean while back , I actually was living in Monmouth and went to the talk in Chepstow few years ago when they said about releasing some, but that's quite a journey.

 

[Janne]

Excellent, natural way to start the road to save the Red ones in UK!

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

I wonder with Pine Martens in their range on a regular basis how long it will take the greys to evolve the same response as the reds? I suspect not long at all.

 

[Janne]

If the Martens are hungry and fast - never.


It has taken tens of thousands of generations to evolve habits and behaviour like this.

The environment they developed it for got changed ( transplanted to UK) but they stayed the same.

 

[Dogoak]

That's good news.
Luckily I'm in a part of the world where they're my neighbours, my squirrel feeder is sometimes used by the martens as well

 

[theDuck]

Interesting read about the virus grey squirrels pass to red squirrels. Here, across the pond in Ontario I look out the window at the bird/squirrel/deer feeders and see red, grey and black squirrels together fighting over food. It is not uncommon to see the red squirrels put the run on the grey and black squirrels. As for pine martens, I only thought they were a North American thing. I learned something.
The bird feeders are only out in the winter. The bears destroy them in the Spring.

 

[Nomad64]

Interesting read about the virus grey squirrels pass to red squirrels. Here, across the pond in Ontario I look out the window at the bird/squirrel/deer feeders and see red, grey and black squirrels together fighting over food. It is not uncommon to see the red squirrels put the run on the grey and black squirrels. As for pine martens, I only thought they were a North American thing. I learned something.
The bird feeders are only out in the winter. The bears destroy them in the Spring.

Not sure what sort of red squirrels you have in Canada, but the species native to the UK and northern Europe and Asia is the Eurasion Red Squirrel Sciurus Vulgaris.

As you can see from the distribution map below, although there is a possibility that on a clear day with a pair of decent binos, Sarah Palin might be able to see Eurasian Reds in Siberia from her house in Alaska , I very much doubt that you can see them from Ontario!

 

[theDuck]

Right you are Nomad64. The scientific name of the red squirrel here is Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, a different animal again. I learns something new every day. But I forget it the next .

 

[santaman2000]

Several different species of red squirrels in North America. Varying sizes dependent on which species. Our local (US Southeast) Fox Squirrels are normally black but occasionally red: they’re roughly twice the size and weight of Grey Squirrels.

 

[Nomad64]

Several different species of red squirrels in North America. Varying sizes dependent on which species. Our local (US Southeast) Fox Squirrels are normally black but occasionally red: they’re roughly twice the size and weight of Grey Squirrels.

Hmmm - within a handful of posts, a thread on a UK forum about measures being taken to reduce the negative impact of an alien invasive species on UK native wildlife turns into a discussion by non-native contributors about the wildlife where they live.

Could almost be a metaphor!

Anyway a quick coffee before going to check whether my traps (developed as part of a red squirrel reintroduction scheme to minimise bycatch) have culled any greys and then off to spend a day removing exotic tree species from some SSSI woods as part of a woodland management course.

 

[Man of Tanith]

It would be nice to see the British Reds reclaiming the woods.
Another example of how the fauna works together

great original article good read that un

 

[Janne]

Why do they not roll out this all over UK?
The parks I visited in the past in London are swimming with Greys.

 

[Paul_B]

Reds might be smaller but if you've ever seen one up close they're stacked!!! Seriously they've got a natural steroid because they've got muscles on muscles. They're aggressive too at times.

I once saw one in the Lakes near the top of a Rowan tree that was growing below the road I was on. This put three branch level with my eyeline. The red squirrel was half a metre away "telling me off!" I could see it's fur, muscle tone and subtlety of its colouring. Even with the semi tame reds at formby woods I never got that close.

 

[Dogoak]

Why do they not roll out this all over UK?
The parks I visited in the past in London are swimming with Greys.

Suitable habitat, I don't think pine martens would enjoy London much

 

[Man of Tanith]

Suitable habitat, I don't think pine martens would enjoy London much

Does anyone?

 

[Janne]

Like most animals, they keep to where the food is. Maybe they could be trained a bit, semi domesticated?

But then, of course, shooting them off should be very easy in a park, then introducing the Reds.
Not sure what many of the inhabitants would say though. We do not want another Metoo or Extinction Rebellion....
Culling Rebellion.
So for that single reason, unworkable.

 

[santaman2000]

Hmmm - within a handful of posts, a thread on a UK forum about measures being taken to reduce the negative impact of an alien invasive species on UK native wildlife turns into a discussion by non-native contributors about the wildlife where they live.

Could almost be a metaphor! .......

That was kinda my point: the difference in species there vs here make comparisons difficult at best.

 

[santaman2000]

......Anyway a quick coffee before going to check whether my traps (developed as part of a red squirrel reintroduction scheme to minimise bycatch) have culled any greys and then off to spend a day removing exotic tree species from some SSSI woods as part of a woodland management course.

Like most animals, they keep to where the food is. Maybe they could be trained a bit, semi domesticated?

But then, of course, shooting them off should be very easy in a park, then introducing the Reds.
Not sure what many of the inhabitants would say though. We do not want another Metoo or Extinction Rebellion....
Culling Rebellion.
So for that single reason, unworkable.

Grey Squirrels are highly adaptive and it’s unlikely any small scale shooting or trapping will have any substantial effect on the population. They’re basically tree rats and just as prolific.

 

[Broch]

Grey Squirrels are highly adaptive and it’s unlikely any small scale shooting or trapping will have any substantial effect on the population. They’re basically tree rats and just as prolific.

That has been the conclusion of many studies - it would be impossible to eradicate greys in the UK by shooting or trapping. Contraception is the new method proposed but I am worried; whenever man attempts this kind of thing there are unwanted side-effects