Red Squirrels / Sciurus vulgaris / Iora rua
There is nothing quite so charming as watching a red squirrel scampering up a tree or caching its nuts for winter. Red squirrels are small bushy-tailed rodents that spend most of their time in trees, only coming down to the ground to forage for nuts and seeds. As omnivores they have a varied diet and will also eat insects. Contrary to popular belief red squirrels don’t hibernate, instead they rely on the food they have gathered during the summer and autumn to sustain them during times when natural food sources are scarce.
Red squirrels were once a common sight throughout the Island of Ireland but sadly the population has declined dramatically. Like most of Ireland’s wildlife, habitat loss has had an impact, but it was the introduction of grey squirrels in 1911 that made the biggest impact. The larger and more dominant grey squirrel, which is native to North America outcompetes the red squirrel for food and habitat. The grey squirrel is also a host of squirrel pox, which although causes them no harm, is fatal to red squirrels.
In recent years, throughout County Down, there has been conservation efforts to control the grey squirrel population and supplement food for red squirrels through feeding in winter months. There have also been links to the growing Pine Martin (Martes martes) population, which preys on grey squirrels, who, as a non-native species haven’t adapted to live alongside them. Thankfully numbers of red squirrels are on the increase, but the conservation efforts need to be maintained. At Castlewellan there is a healthy population of red squirrels, and they are particularly fond of scampering up and down the Giant Redwood trees in the Walled Garden.
