GREY SQUIRRELS
Richard Coke advocates their elimination
The grey squirrel was introduced into this country in the late 1800's from North America. In it's native environment it does no harm, but in this country and Italy, where just two pairs were introduced to an Italian diplomat's estate near Turin in 1948, it is a totally different story.
Like many of the small European mammals (e.g. lemmings and voles), our charming native red squirrel population goes in 7 year cycles. At the peak of its cycle it was never evident in large numbers. However, it is not entirely blameless, in that it does raid the occasional birds' nest and bark stripping of trees has been reported, although in my woodlands, in the 75 years of continuous woodland management prior to the demise of the red squirrel in 1975, no damage to trees was ever seen. Nature was in balance.
There is no evidence that the grey physically attacks the red, rather, it is thought that it carries a virus (parapox) that kills the red but does not harm the carrier. It also competes for the food supply. The relentless expansion of the grey means that the red now survives only in parts of Scotland, Northern England, Isle of Wight, Anglesey and one or two other isolated areas. Most experts give the red only 10 - 15 years before it is completely wiped out from this island.
The grey squirrel is larger (average weight 550 gms.), stronger and more adaptable than our native red (average weight 300 gms.). It is quite at home in urban areas and can reach very high population densities. The Forestry Commission has reported densities of 15 per hectare (ha) in the Forest of Dean, but in ideal woodland conditions, where no control has been or is carried out, this number could probably be greatly exceeded. Macdonald & Barrett (1993) quote a population density for the red squirrel of between 0.2 - 1.6 per ha.
In these circumstances it is hardly surprising that the grey squirrel has a dramatic effect on the bird population by destroying nests (eating the eggs and the young chicks). Until recently the RSPB has ignored this threat to birds, which, together with the vast increase in the populations of several predators, (which SongBird Survival is so rightly bringing into the public domain), is ensuring that the rapid decline in songbird numbers continues unabated. However, I understand that a comprehensive study is going to be undertaken jointly by the RSPB and BTO on the decline in woodland bird populations in 350 woods. The study will also estimate grey squirrel and deer populations.
To help bring further attention to the damage the grey squirrel inflicts on the bird population the British Trust for Ornithology has been commissioned to undertake an additional study on the effect of the grey squirrel on woodland bird populations. The results of the first review phase of this study, led by Dr Robert Fuller of the BTO, are due early next year.
These organisations appear to accept that the country will never be able to grow quality timber again, but will the public like to see woodland reduced to dead and dying scrub? The English Squirrel forum and various scientists say that it is not practical or politically possible to eradicate the grey from this country. The fact is no one has tried. Whilst there is no guarantee of success, it is highly probable that with modern technology the answer could be found. It may take tens of millions of pounds and a few years to develop a practical method to eliminate the grey squirrel. In reality this cost pales into insignificance on economic grounds alone when one takes into account the damage done to trees, wasted woodland grant schemes, cost of controlling the grey (where this is carried out at all), all of which will go on in perpetuity, unless an elimination policy is successful.
At a conference this summer Elliott Morley MP, the government minister for forestry, in response to a question of mine on whether the government was going to do anything about eradicating the grey squirrel, replied by acknowledging that grey squirrels were a major problem and the government was funding research into "ways in which grey squirrels can be controlled more humanely"!
This research, being carried out by the Forestry Commission, is being directed at a bait-fed contraception treatment. If successful, and if the grey squirrel takes the bait at the required time interval which is as yet unknown, it will render the grey infertile for less than a year. A grey squirrel typically lives for 6 - 8 years, (in ideal conditions up to 10 years) and produces 2 - 3 litters a year with 2 - 3 young in each litter (in ideal conditions depending on food supply, weather conditions etc 5 - 6). The sad fact is, in my opinion, that we will be far worse off if this ridiculous project comes to fruition.* At least warfarin and dead traps kill the things once and for all. In reality it is most likely that the grey squirrels will prefer birds' eggs to the bait-fed infertility treatment.
The cost of really effective control of grey squirrels, that ensures a minimal level of damage to trees and nesting birds, is extremely high and in the long run is not sustainable, as this cost is in perpetuity.
It seems to me that all those not in favour of eliminating the grey squirrel are by definition:
- For the elimination of our charming native red squirrel from these islands.
- For the ongoing destruction of birds nests and their young on a huge scale.
- For ensuring that future generations have no healthy high forest to enjoy.
- For the ongoing huge economic cost of damage and destruction to our trees and woodlands.
Once told the cost to our birds and trees of the present policy of ambivalence towards the grey squirrel, I believe that the vast majority of the population would back an elimination programme, Richard (Toby) Coke
* Latest News: Since this article was prepared the Forestry Commission has announced that it is putting the contraception research on hold (Forestry Commission News Release No 5148). This is good news as well, providing it is replaced by research into the eradication of the grey squirrel. R.C.