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New research underway to track urban squirrels in Aberdeen
The research teams will be using VHF radio and GPS tracking to monitor the urban squirrels.

Results will inform red squirrel conservation programmes.

New, ground-breaking research by the University of the Highlands and Islands, in collaboration with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, aims to better understand how grey squirrels live and move in urban areas.

Currently, very little is known about the habitat preferences, movement corridors and home range size of grey squirrels. Researchers are aiming to gather information by monitoring the movements of ten grey squirrels in Aberdeen between late March and July.

The research is funded by Forestry and Land Scotland and will be carried out under a special licence from NatureScot. The teams will be using VHF (Very High Frequency) radio and GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking to monitor the squirrels.

Since 2007, a targeted grey squirrel control programme has been in place in the Aberdeenshire countryside, in order to help preserve red squirrel populations which struggle to compete with their grey counterparts.

The results of this new study will provide further support to red squirrel conservation in the region.

Research Fellow at Inverness College UHI, Dr Louise de Raad, said: “This exciting research will make use of the latest GPS tracking equipment that has become small enough to be fitted to grey squirrels.

“This will allow us to gain a much better understanding of grey squirrel ecology in a semi-urban environment and investigate what their preferred habitats are, how large their home ranges are, how far they travel in a day and whether they make use of movement corridors.

“This will inform best practices for grey squirrel population control and make a significant contribution to red squirrel conservation”.

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
Lords Committee opens Pet Parasite Medication inquiry

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee will launch its inquiry into Pet Parasite Medication (PPM) on Wednesday (3 June).

Focusing on treatments containing fipronil and imidacloprid, the inquiry will seek to understand distribution pathways and the impacts of PPM use and non-use on biodiversity and human health. It will also cover current regulation, monitoring, and the potential implications for pets and their owners.

The committee will hear evidence from environmental non-governmental organisations and research institutes. The public can follow the proceedings live on Parliament TV or in person in the Palace of Westminster.