Red Squirrel Deaths Update
Please don’t feed the squirrels. Cramlington & District Red Squirrel Group work SO hard monitoring, which involves many, many volunteer hours. The fantastic progress our group has made could be so quickly undone. Adenovirus & Squirrel Pox is easily spread from one animal to another with feeding sites being disease spreading hot spots, rather like a corona virus super spreading event.
This is why our monitoring boxes have all been disinfected in the area affected and we have ceased filling the boxes for the time being. If others keep scattering food for them or use their own feeders they are simply CREATING super spreading adenovirus areas. The squirrels affected are often all younger ones so the chance of the red population growing (which is our ultimate goal) is hampered as a whole generation can be wiped out.
We had a similar problem with adenovirus in Seghill 2 years ago but with the groups intervention we managed to get the disease under control but it did take months.
Please,please please don’t feed the squirrels.
Thank you.
New Hartley
7th dead red squirrel from the New Hartley area. The confirmed report from APHA has identified an Adenovirus outbreak is current in the area.
Humford Woods
The report from APHA has confirmed a case of Squirrel pox.
We'll continue to update as more information is received, via our social media pages.
