Red Squirrels Come to Ayrshire Schools.

Young people are the future and the Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group have recognised this and produced a Red Squirrel and Woodlands Education pack to help Ayrshire youngsters know about our native red squirrel and take steps to ensure its survival.

Provost Sloan who officially handed over the education pack to Coylton Primary’s head teacher on behalf of the Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group said -"I am delighted that this group of local volunteers have taken it upon themselves to produce this education pack which focuses on a threatened species which is on their doorstep. I hope that each school in Ayrshire will take advantage of this conservation opportunity and be able to make a change for this engaging and native animal."

The education pack which was launched at Coylton Primary where pupils have been busily engaged on squirrel linked activities will be sent to all 143 primary schools in South, East and North Ayrshire. Mrs Hewlttson, Coylton head teacher, who reviewed the pack for the group said “the pack contains a wide range of activities for all ages and is especially important as it uses a local species, our native red squirrel, to look at conservation issues”.

The pack is available in hard copy and as a CD – this includes some lovely footage of over 6 red squirrels taken in a garden in Kilkerran, South Ayrshire. The footage was shot prior to 2000 and sadly there are now few red squirrels left at Kilkerran.

Shona Munro, the Red Squirrel Conservation Officer, is keen that schools make maximum use of the pack and can help them by providing talks to schools and additional information.

As well as producing the education pack the Ayrshire Red Squirrel Rescue Project, that is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and South Ayrshire Council, has been busy surveying for red and grey squirrels in and around the priority woods of Kyle, Galloway and Glenapp. This has shown the continued spread of greys south but that there is still a healthy population of reds in the south of the area.

Colin McLean, Heritage Lottery Fund Manager for Scotland, said: “The red squirrel has declined in Ayrshire over recent years and there is an urgent need to protect this vulnerable species, or future generations may never have the joy of seeing them. The Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group is working hard to reverse their fate and we are pleased to be involved in helping them achieve this.”

The group still needs the public to send in sightings of both reds and greys as only by building up detailed maps of their distribution can action be targeted where it will have the most impact. Please send sightings to sightings@ayrshireredsquirrels.org.uk

If you are interested in finding out more the group has a talk on Thurs 22nd Nov at the Green Room, SAC Auchincruive at 7.15 pm on 'Squirrels of the World'. See www.ayrshireredsquirrels.org.uk for more details.

To view the Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group Newsletter click here.