SQUIRREL PATROL

If you asked me to name the most destructive pest in the British countryside, I would have no hesitation in saying the grey squirrel. They may look cute and fluffy to some people, but looks can, and often do, deceive – this invasive rodent has had a hugely negative impact on our native wildlife.

Grey squirrels have contributed to the decline of our indigenous red squirrel through the spread of squirrel pox, and by outcompeting them for food and habitat, but the damage they cause extends far beyond that. They prey on the eggs and chicks of songbirds, and also dominate food sources, including acorns, beech mast and hazelnuts, which should be supporting more vulnerable species such as dormice.

Foresters hate grey squirrels because of the costly damage they cause to trees by stripping back their bark. This causes trees to become stunted and bushy, rather