Red squirrels: a giant leap

Scotland’s native red squirrel population is under threat. Non-native grey squirrels out-compete reds for food and in many areas carry squirrel-pox which is almost always lethal to reds.

But, if we continue to work together, we can create a sustainable future for red squirrels in Scotland. Securing their future is our long-term commitment.

Your support is crucial if we are to succeed!

Our efforts were given a real boost in 2017 when the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) awarded £2.4 million to support our red squirrel conservation programme which runs from 2017 to 2022. This showed great confidence in our strategy and was fantastic news.

As a part of this award we must raise £40,000 each year to unlock the funding. Every precious gift towards our annual £40k target helps unlock this vital £2.4 million from NLHF.

Working together, we can secure a sustainable future for red squirrels in Scotland.

To save Scotland’s red squirrels we need your help, please give what you can today.

Every gift gets us closer to unleashing NLHF’s funding. Your gift can make the difference and help our ambitious plans to save Scotland’s red squirrels.

Together, we can win the fight to save Scotland’s red squirrels

The UK’s red squirrel population has crashed by 75% since the 1950s; but the good news is that since 2009, the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project has been working to halt the decline.

The even better news is that our work has now provided firm evidence that the decline can be reversed – by carefully prioritising our activities, we’re starting to see red squirrel populations recover. Reds are returning to areas where they hadn’t been seen for many years. Together we are winning the fight to save them, but we can’t afford to lose momentum.

You can play your part in turning around the fortune of one of Scotland’s favourite mammals!

You make the difference

The progress we have made so far in saving Scotland’s red squirrels just wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of supporters, like you, who care about Scotland’s wildlife. Since the project began, an amazing 2,548 supporters have played a vital role by generously donating towards our work to save Scotland’s native squirrel populations.

Slowly but surely, we’re combatting the threat posed by the non-native grey squirrel.

Your gift can help save Scotland’s red squirrels

Every gift counts toward our target and could help unlock almost £2.5 million from HLF.

Your gift really could make the difference.

£550 – could pay for one week of expert advice and co-ordination for landowners and volunteers

£120 – could pay for a camera trap to monitor squirrel populations

£60 – could pay for five squirrelpox tests

£30 – could pay for a bag of red squirrel feed

Donate now

We have a tried and tested plan for the future

It’s hard to find anyone who isn’t enchanted by red squirrels – one of Scotland’s most popular native mammals. Nine out of ten Scots agree – red squirrels help to make our countryside special; but they’re under real threat.

Red squirrel numbers have fallen drastically since the introduction of the larger non-native grey squirrel. Greys are able to out-compete reds for food. Many grey squirrels also carry Squirrelpox – a virus lethal to reds but to which the greys are immune.

Slowly but surely, we’re combatting the threat posed by the non-native grey squirrel. The experience gained by staff and volunteers has fed into a concrete plan of action that we are confident can secure the future of red squirrels in Scotland.