squirrels​ vs ​squirrels

​The North American grey squirrel was deliberately introduced to Britain and other parts of Europe during the 19th Century.

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Grey squirrels carry a virus called squirrelpox (SQPV), which they are immune to, but which is deadly to red squirrels. It's estimated that 60% of grey squirrels carry the virus and they suffer no ill effects from it, but if a red squirrel catches it, it will be dead within weeks.

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The grey competes with red squirrels for food. Grey squirrels eat seven times more food per hectare than red squirrels. They aggressively compete with the red squirrels for food, and they also eat food before it is ripe enough for red squirrels to eat.

 

Grey squirrels may be partly responsible for recent declines in many woodland bird species. They can exert this impact either through the predation of eggs and young chicks, or because they take over nest sites and consume food such as seeds and nuts which would otherwise be exploited by birds.

 

I have experienced squirrels taking our chicken eggs before now.

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Grey squirrels are extremely destructive in woodlands, stripping bark from the main stem and branches of trees. Increasingly, wider impacts of grey squirrels are being recognized as of potential major significance to woodland conservation,

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They tend to breed twice a year in February to march and July to Augustand have about 2-6 kittens each year (and not cats kittens before you think it).