Concerns have been raised about the health of red squirrels in the Scottish Borders, with six reports of sick animals in the Venlaw area near Peebles and one dead squirrel found in nearby Drumzelier. Tests are being carried out to determine the cause of the sickness, with fears of an outbreak of squirrelpox. The disease is carried by grey squirrels, which were introduced to the UK in the late 19th century and have since spread far and wide.
Allan Johnstone, from the Tweeddale Red Squirrel Network, described squirrelpox as a 'terrible disease' that is similar to myxomatosis in rabbits. He warned that the invasive grey squirrels are the biggest threat to the native red squirrel population and that reducing their numbers is essential to protecting the native species.
The concerns in the Borders come after similar reports in Dollar in Clackmannanshire last week. There are 16 individual groups in the south of Scotland that are working to control grey squirrel numbers and promote the native reds, but they face a constant challenge from migrating greys from the central belt and northern England.