The Highlands of Scotland is one of the few parts of the UK where the red squirrel exists in the absence of the introduced American grey squirrel.

Red squirrels of the Highlands, Feoragan Ruadh na Gaidhealtachd, is a 3 year project funded by LEADER, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Cairngorms National Park Authority to encourage the conservation of red squirrels within the Highlands of Scotland.  The projects timespan is July 2009 to June 2012.

This is part of the See Red Highland partnership which links all squirrel interersts in the Highlands.

The Highlands of Scotland is one of the few parts of the UK where the red squirrel exists in the absence of the introduced American grey squirrel.  The red squirrel is a priority UK Biodiversity Action Plan species.  Today 75% of the UK's population is estimated to be in Scotland. The most serious threat to the red squirrel is from the American grey squirrel. The grey is said to out-compete the red squirrel and can carry Squirrel Poxvirus (SQPV), which is deadly to red squirrels.

Initial work on raising awareness, recruiting volunteers and establishing the distribution of the red has been ongoing over the last 3 years with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) funded Red Squirrel Refuge project.

In February 2009 the 3 year - £1.3m Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels Project (SSRS), led by SWT, was launched.  Focusing on developing habitats in which the red squirrel can flourish and on the control of the grey population, it will not operate within the area covered by this project.  This is therefore a sister project.  You can find out more about SSRS and other projects in the links section.

A key part of this site is the ability to view and record squirrel sighting in the Highlands.  The more information we gather about where they are living, the better chance we have of protecting them.