This week marks Red Squirrel Awareness Week, which is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on one of the UK’s most beloved yet endangered mammals. At the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, while our main focus is on owls and other birds of prey, we are also proud to provide a safe home for a small group of Red Squirrels here at the sanctuary. By caring for these charming animals, we are able to give visitors a chance to see them up close, learn about their challenges in the wild, and understand why conservation is so important.
The Story of the Red Squirrel
Once a familiar sight in woodlands across Britain, the Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) has seen its population decline dramatically over the past century. Today, it is estimated that fewer than 300,000 remain in the UK, mostly in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and small, carefully protected pockets of England and Wales.
The main reason for this decline has been the introduction of the larger, non-native Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in the late 19th century. Grey squirrels compete with Red Squirrels for food and habitat, and carry squirrelpox virus which is harmless to Greys but often fatal to Reds.
Why Red Squirrels Matter
Red Squirrels are more than just a charming woodland resident. They play a vital role in forest ecosystems by helping to disperse seeds and fungi that support healthy tree growth. Their presence is a marker of woodland biodiversity, and conserving them helps to protect broader habitats for many species of birds, insects, and plants.
Conservation in Action
Across the UK, a network of charities, volunteers, and wildlife organisations are working tirelessly to protect red squirrels. Key efforts include:
Habitat management: maintaining conifer-rich woodlands where red squirrels thrive.
Monitoring: recording sightings and population changes to better understand local trends.
Grey Squirrel control: carefully managing Grey populations to reduce competition and disease spread.
Public engagement: encouraging local communities to support Red Squirrel conservation through volunteering and citizen science projects.
Here at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, our resident Red Squirrels play an important part in that engagement as ambassadors for their species. By seeing them in person, visitors can better appreciate just how unique and captivating they are, sparking conversations and inspiring action to help safeguard their survival.
How You Can Help
Even if you don’t live in a Red Squirrel area, there are still ways to get involved:
Support conservation groups like the Red Squirrel Survival Trust or local volunteer networks.
Raise awareness by sharing information during Red Squirrel Awareness Week.
Visit responsibly: If travelling to Red Squirrel areas, keep dogs on leads, avoid leaving food scraps, and report sightings to local monitoring projects.
Visit us! By meeting our Red Squirrels at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, you’ll be directly supporting education and conservation efforts that highlight their challenges.
A Shared Responsibility
At the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, we understand that safeguarding our native wildlife is about more than protecting one species; it’s about preserving the rich, interconnected web of life that makes Britain’s natural landscapes so unique. This Red Squirrel Awareness Week, we encourage everyone to take a moment to learn about these charismatic creatures and support the work being done to secure their future.
📸 Liam Austin
✍️ Conservation Officer Amber Hanys