Confirmed squirrel pox case in Wigtownshire
People who have gardens with bird feeders and baths are being encouraged to take them down or thoroughly disinfect them.
A recent confirmed case of squirrel pox near the Stranraer area has prompted a conservation group to encourage others to help prevent the spread further.
The infected native rodent was found in a woodland area on Aldouran Wetland Garden grounds in Leswalt.
Unfortunately, it ticked off a lot of boxes showing symptoms for the disease, meaning it was humanely euthanised before having its remains sent for post-mortem.
David Taylor from the Red Squirrel Network says there has only been one confirmed case so far, but concerningly, there haven't been any sightings of the remainder of the native squirrels.
Usually, there are up to four sightings per day, but there haven’t been any since the infected squirrel was found.
The disease is highly contagious, and because the Reds live in small groups, it is likely that the adults passed it onto their kits (offspring) and died before the confirmed case was found.
Most infected red squirrels are dead within the first two to three weeks after becoming unable to eat or having the energy to move.
Taylor shares some advice on how we can lower the chances of the two species meeting:
“It’s vital that we prevent them mixing by removing these squirrel feeders as quickly as possible if we see a red and a grey together. It would be better if we could remove the feeders altogether so there is no chance of them actually meeting.
“Do not put the feeders back out for at least two weeks. There are ample natural food sources available at this time of year, so you will not be depriving the wildlife of necessary nutrition.
“If you’re unable to remove the feeders, you can disinfect them on a regular basis, at least once a week, with something called Virkon S, which is an antiviral disinfectant, and you have to leave that to dry for a while – up to 40 minutes.”
Bird baths and water bowls should also be thoroughly disinfected, he warns.
Taylor adds that if this disease goes viral, it could have a devastating impact on our native species:
“If it continues, they will wipe out the red population in this area. It’s a very rare occurrence in Wigtownshire, so we really need to try and contain it as much as possible at the moment.
“Here in Wigtownshire, we are fortunate to still have a red squirrel population, but they are under increasing threat. Aldouran Wetland Garden is one of the few places where visitors can still enjoy the experience of seeing red squirrels feeding and playing in the trees.
“Your assistance is necessary to help us maintain our population. If you require assistance with removal and disinfection, we will be happy to help.”
Jane Sloan, chair of the Aldouran Wetland Garden, says, “The volunteers at Aldouran Wetland Garden are devastated at the news that the red squirrels which we feed on the edge of Aldouran Glen woodland (belonging to Woodland Trust Scotland) have developed Squirrel pox.
“We have been aware of the presence of grey squirrels for a few months, and several have been trapped with the help of David Taylor of the Red Squirrel network.
“We also removed all feeders in the hope that it might prevent the two species from being in contact with each other, but the positive test result received last Friday has shown it was to no avail.
“We will desperately miss them and hope it won’t be too long before we see the return of a healthy population.”