222: Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels with James Kennedy
About this episode
James Kennedy discusses the challenges and strategies involved in eradicating grey squirrels to protect Scotland's native red squirrels.
How did little over ten grey squirrels, brought to an Aberdeen zoo in 1971 to keep a tame squirrel called Jack company, turn into a population of over ten thousand? What does it take to eradicate an invasive species from a city? And could this project become the first urban grey squirrel eradication anywhere in the world? To discuss all of this I'm joined by James Kennedy, the Eradication Operations Lead for Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels (SSRS), a partnership project run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. James has been on the ground since 2009, starting as a Grey Squirrel Control Officer on what was supposed to be an eighteen-month contract. Here he is, seventeen years later, closer than ever to achieving something many thought impossible. During our conversation, James explains why grey squirrels are such a serious problem for native red squirrels and for the wider environment. It's not just about competition for food and habitat. Grey squirrels carry squirrelpox virus, which is lethal to red squirrels, usually killing them within a fortnight. They also cause millions of pounds of damage through bark stripping of trees, threatening both ancient woodlands and commercial forestry…
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