Picture will enlargeUsually found up trees, not chimney pots! Thanks to Tommy Hogg for the picture of this cheeky Red Squirrel.
There are only about 120,000 left in Scotland, but we are lucky enough to have several areas throughout Nairn where Red Squirrels can be found.
As indicated by the name they are red, although depending on the time of year or the age of the squirrel, this can vary. They are extremely agile and very fast.
They are mainly solitary creatures apart from during the mating season, or if the weather is very cold, they may share a drey/nest in a mutual buddy/buddy system to keep warm.
Once mating is over the rest is up to the female. She raises the litter and by the age of eight to ten weeks the young squirrels are weaned and by ten to sixteen weeks are independent. There can be up to two litters a year, April and August, with, on average, three young.
There are only about 120,000 left in Scotland, but we are lucky enough to have several areas throughout Nairn where Red Squirrels can be found.
As indicated by the name they are red, although depending on the time of year or the age of the squirrel, this can vary. They are extremely agile and very fast.
They are mainly solitary creatures apart from during the mating season, or if the weather is very cold, they may share a drey/nest in a mutual buddy/buddy system to keep warm.
Once mating is over the rest is up to the female. She raises the litter and by the age of eight to ten weeks the young squirrels are weaned and by ten to sixteen weeks are independent. There can be up to two litters a year, April and August, with, on average, three young.
Red Squirrels mainly live in coniferous forests, especially where there are Scots Pines and their diet consists of nuts and seeds; spruce, pine, larch, beech, hazel and acorns. They will also eat fungi, berries and bark and some may visit gardens and feed from bird tables and feeders.
They are a lot smaller than their southern cousins the Grey Squirrel which, hopefully, we will not see up here. Apparently they do not fight each other but the Grey Squirrel consumes more food so there is greater competition for resources. The Grey Squirrel also carries a virus, Squirrelpox, which is usually fatal to the red squirrel. However, recent research indicates that the Red Squirrel may be developing some immunity to the virus.
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