Save our Squirrels and Knowsley Safari Park have been working together to let people know what?s going on and to raise much needed cash for the conservation of the endangered red squirrel. Knowsley Safari Park set up a Save our Squirrels one stop shop over the Easter break where people could find out just what they need to know about red squirrel conservation.
Sally Orritt, People and Wildlife Officer for Save our Squirrels in Sefton said ?It was a great opportunity for us to meet new people, we couldn?t have done it without the support of the Safari Park staff, they were great. With over 20 volunteers involved and squirrel staff on different days, we needed quite a lot of support and co-ordinating, and we got it! We even saw an increase in our website traffic as visitors to www.knowsley.com were using the link to www.saveoursquirrels.org to browse our site. The icing on the cake was the fundraising, as well as making great new contacts we also raised over £2,000 from donations and merchandise! Thanks Everyone.?
Red squirrels on the Knowsley Estate have survived a recent outbreak of the deadly squirrel pox disease and, as a result, population monitoring has been re-established through the woodlands to check and help manage the situation. Save our Squirrels are keen to hear about all red and grey squirrel sightings, as there appear to be populations of reds often inhabiting gardens and wooded areas. The Knowsley and Rainford areas offer extensive habitat ideal for red squirrels, but it?s difficult for us to say exactly how many red squirrels there are, or indeed where they are, without the help of the public. A Rainford Red Squirrel group has been set up alongside groups in Little Crosby and Formby and Southport. The groups plan local events and activities to inform the public and raise funds. They also help to co-ordinate and maintain grey control, where red squirrels are, as it is lethal when a red catches squirrel pox virus from a grey.
The Sefton Coast red squirrel refuge has suffered catastrophic losses over the last two years due to squirrel pox virus. Monitoring data collected by volunteers across the area and analysed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust has shown that as few as one in ten may have survived the outbreak. We?re hopeful that the virus is no longer in the red population as we have not had a confirmed squirrel pox case on the coast since December 2008.
Save our Squirrels need to know where squirrels are, red or grey. For further information about volunteering or to report any sightings please call our National Hotline on 0845 347 9375 or visit www.saveoursquirrels.org. We know that grey squirrels carry the virus and with reds being pushed further and further north, there has never been a more important time to work together to save our squirrels.

Sally Orritt
People & Wildlife Officer
Save our Squirrels