Action Plan: Red Squirrel
The red squirrel has a distinct red/brown pelt, a long bushy tail of uniform colour, and characteristic ear tufts that are particularly prominent in winter. Red squirrels are adapted for living and moving about in trees and are limited to crossing up to 500m of open ground so a structurally diverse and continuous habitat is therefore important. Food sources vary throughout the year to include:
- ripe tree seeds and nuts
- berries and fruits
- fungi
- shoots
- flowers
- bark
- lichens
- invertebrates
Red squirrels live in either a dense ball of twigs and leaves known as a drey located in a branch fork against the tree trunk, or a hollow in a tree known as a den. Summer dreys are less substantial platforms of twigs, and squirrels rotate between several dreys to limit build up of parasites.
In order to maintain populations of red squirrels across their current range in the UK conservation activity will focus on selected priority woodland areas. A total of 16 red squirrel reserves have been established in the North of England and 9 of these are found in Northumberland.
