Here's how you can help protect the Red Squirrels

The common mouse is being suggested as the latest possible threat to the future of the red squirrel.

A report in Mammal Review reveals that scientists believe mice could be responsible for spreading ‘adenovirus’, a virus related to the common cold in humans, but deadly for red squirrels. They say it manifests itself in red squirrels through lesions in the digestive system, leading to intestinal bleeding and death.

“A significant risk to red squirrels”
Dr Craig Shuttleworth of Red Squirrels Trust Wales, told The Telegraph:

“Adenovirus poses a significant risk to red squirrels where rodents come into close contact with one another, such as at garden bird tables, forest supplemental feeding stations, or in captive breeding settings.
“The availability of foods at bird tables and feeding stations often attracts a range of other species including wood mice and it would be prudent to try and limit mouse activity.”

He went on to say that in 2005 the virus wiped out the entire red squirrel population he’d reintroduced to woods in Anglesey.

Latent in IW population
Helen Butler from the Wight Squirrel Project told OnTheWight that – thankfully – they had not seen any cases on the Isle of Wight yet.

She went on to add that as far as they could tell the virus was latent on the Island.

That aside, to ensure it doesn’t spread, animal lovers are being encouraged to regularly clean their bird tables and feeders with either warm soapy water or anti-bacterial products.

Take part in Red Squirrel Day
Next Saturday, 27th September, sees the start of National Red Squirrel Week marked with Red Squirrel Day at the County Showground in Cowes. The events starts at 10am and runs until 3pm. Helen tells us that there’ll event be live hedgehogs on show.

There’ll be a variety of activities to take part in such as: