Questions have been raised over protections for Scotland’s red squirrels after a Scottish Government minister claimed the “last isolated pockets” of invasive greys are in Aberdeen.
Earlier this month, the annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey detailed more than 2,500 sightings across Scotland. The public survey collects data about red squirrels as well as greys, which carry the deadly virus squirrelpox.
The first recorded case north of the central belt was detected in Fife this year. And the survey said greys were spotted in historically “red-only zones”, although red sightings are up by 30%.
But north-east MSP Maurice Golden queried the “quality of government data” as greys are spotted in Dundee and Angus “all the time.”
The Scottish Conservative asked for an estimate of red squirrel numbers across four “priority areas” — Tayside, the north-east, Argyll to Stirling via the Trossachs, and south Scotland.
This is where grey squirrel officers work with volunteers and landowners to control numbers. He also asked the SNP’s climate action minister whether to reveal what he described as the “last isolated pockets” of greys.
Alasdair Allan said £1million is going to the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project between this year and 2026. The money has “enabled a concentrated effort to eradicate the last remaining isolated population of grey squirrels in the north-east of Scotland.”
He added: “I should clarify that the last remaining, isolated population of grey squirrels in the north-east of Scotland is found in the city of Aberdeen.”
Mr Allan wasn’t able to describe which parts of the four priority areas still have populations of greys.
Get all the latest Aberdeen news and headlines sent straight to your inbox by signing up to our free newsletter.
From breaking news in and around the city, to traffic and travel and health, we’ve got you covered.
The manually created newsletter arrives every day at around 4pm, giving you a round up of the most important stories we’ve covered that day.
To sign up, simply click this link here.
And if you aren’t already, make sure you join the conversation over on our Facebook Groups and Aberdeen Live Instagram.
Mr Golden said: “The minister suggested that there’s some sort of gang of greys holding out in Aberdeen city. People out and about in Tayside see greys all the time. I’m worried about complacency setting in here.
“The bastion of the Highland fault line might be holding up for now, but I think the quality of government data is really challenged by reports.
“If it wasn’t for the public reports to the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey, the government wouldn’t know much about the dangers greys pose to our native reds.
“It’s now almost 10 years since the last Scottish strategy for conservation was published, and it’s vital the SNP take note of the increased numbers across the board.”
Scotland is home to around 80% of the UK’s red squirrel population, with up to 450,000 found mostly in the Highlands.
But while red numbers continue to recover, greys are travelling northwards with a “handful” of sightings in areas such as Dunkeld.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are aware there are grey squirrels elsewhere, for example in Tayside, however, to clarify the last remaining pocket of isolated greys in the north-east of Scotland priority area is in Aberdeen city centre.
“This is what the specific parliamentary answer in question was referring to.”