The native Red Squirrel was widespread in Britain untill the introduction of the American Grey Squirrel a century or so ago. As the larger Grey established its self and spread, the Red began to die out, as it could not compete as well for food, and the Grey's carried Squirrel Pox with them from America. This disease has little effect on the Grey's, but is deady to our native Red Squirrels.

Now there only a few pockets of Red's left in England, and the Grey's are spreading north well into Scotland.

 

 

A native Red Squirrel, Speyside, Scotland. January 2009. This is in my opinion Britain's most beautiful mammal. Below is a selection of my other pictures of this animal.

 

All pictures taken in Speyside in January 2009.

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Below are pictures of the North American Grey Squirrel that has displaced our native red in most of England and Wales.

 

 

Above, unlike our native Reds, Grey Squirrels do a great deal of harm in our countryside.

 

Above one leaping with an Acorn, this Grey Squirrel jumps from a feeding station to a post where it can easily get down to the ground.

 

For several years an albino Grey was seen in one local woodland, and I managed to get a few pictures on film of this rariety.

 

In some areas there are black coated variants (above) of the Grey Squirrel. This form I find is generally more timid that the normal Grey's.

 

All pictures are Copyright of Richard Revels FRPS