The best way to catch a glimpse of one of our most loved animals, the red squirrel, is to visit one of five National Trust properties.
Red squirrels are becoming an increasingly rare sight in Britain due to the destruction of their natural habitat and the threat from the spread of grey squirrels. There are only around 160,000 left in Britain compared to 2.5 million greys.
© Victoria Gridley Haack
Conserving red squirrel populations
The threat posed to red squirrels by grey squirrels is potentially lethal. The greys carry a squirrel pox to which they are immune but reds are not. Squirrel pox is often the likely cause when red squirrel populations decline after greys invade.
We are working in partnership to keep grey squirrels out of both Brownsea Island in Dorset and the Isle of Wight. These two islands, currently free from greys, are red squirrel havens. In the North of England, where red squirrels are severely threatened by greys, we are supporting an initiative to set up refuge areas for them where greys are controlled.
Where you can see red squirrels
As red squirrel numbers dwindle, the five National Trust sites with red squirrel populations are becoming increasingly important havens for Britain's only native squirrel.
They also offer a rare chance to watch red squirrels, and to help you find them we've devised a downloadable red squirrel walk for each site.
Brownsea Island, Dorset
Almost extinct in southern England, there are approximately 200-250 red squirrels on Brownsea Island.
They are found in the wooded areas all over the island, which is carefully managed to conserve the red squirrel population.
Formby, Merseyside
Walking at Formby, near Liverpool, provides you with the ideal opportunity to watch the famous Formby red squirrels in the pinewood.
Formby remains one of the best places to see red squirrels at close quarters and is part of the larger Sefton Coast Woodlands, where there are more than 1,000 red squirrels.
Mount Stewart, Co Down
The mixture of formal and informal gardens at Mount Stewart provides the perfect sanctuary for one of the few remaining red squirrel populations in the whole of Ireland.
Wallington, Northumberland
At Wallington you can use a wildlife observation hide to watch for red squirrels, who are attracted to the hide area with feeders, and other wildlife. The food is bought with donations left by visitors.
The Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight supports a population of red squirrels, which on National Trust land can be seen mostly around the woods at Newtown, in the ancient woodland at Borthwood and across the Mottistone Estate. In the autumn they can sometimes be spotted collecting walnuts on the Green at Mottistone.
Red squirrel spotting tips:
You have a better chance of seeing red squirrels if you...
- look for them in the morning or later in the afternoon
- try not to make too much noise
- look up (they live in trees most of the time)
- listen for the falling rubbish from squirrels eating
- look for evidence of squirrels feeding around pine trees - they eat pine cones in a very distinctive way
- in autumn look near sweet chestnut and beech trees - they like the nuts these trees produce
- stop still as soon as you spot one
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