Integrating red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) habitat requirements with the management of pathogenic tree disease in commercial forests in the UK

Shuttleworth, Craig M.; Lurz, Peter W. W.; Geddes, Neville

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2012.05.019

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 30 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…Sciurids are recognised to be adept at escape. 52 AdV has been detected in areas of Italy where grey squirrels are present, 21 where parallel research to other studies 48,49 detected infections by PCR analysis from animals killed by trauma, such as road collisions, and which presented as asymptomatic cases with no pathology present on gross examination. It should be recognised that the majority of AdV particle TEM detection cases are only recorded as AdV-associated deaths, with no confirmation of pathogenic infection presence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

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Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK

et al. 2023

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Background: Red Squirrels United was a UK landscape-scale grey squirrel management programme undertaken between 2016 and 2020. Methods: A total of 11034 grey squirrels were removed by culling, with 1506 necropsied and 1405 suitable for adenovirus (AdV) or squirrelpox virus (SQPV) quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. Spleen, lip or hair were extracted, and DNA was isolated, with samples tested in duplicate by qPCR. Results: Of 1378 tissue samples, 43% were positive for AdV and 10% for SQPV. Of 1031 hair samples, 11% were positive for AdV and 10% for SQPV. Overall, 762 of 1405 (54%) animals were positive for one or both viruses. Limitations: Ad hoc sampling was undertaken from limited geographical areas but provided the only dataset from that period, instead of extrapolating from historical data. Conclusions: The grey squirrel is an asymptomatic reservoir host for AdV and SQPV. Interspecific infection transmission potential is demonstrated. Grey squirrel management by culling is essential for mainland red squirrel viability until other suitable management tools are available.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…The illegal release or escape from a private collection of an exotic sciurid species and infection ‘spill over’ into the environment cannot be precluded. Sciurids are recognised to be adept at escape 52 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK

et al. 2023

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“…However, in some of the European countries, red squirrels have become extinct because of habitat destruction and fragmentation [ 22 ]. In the UK and Ireland, interspecific competition with the non-native S. carolinensis (eastern gray squirrel) has caused the disappearance of red squirrels from large areas [ 20 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Moreover, the gray squirrel is incriminated in the effective dissemination of squirrel pox virus (SQPV), which causes epidemics and significant mortality in the red squirrel population, profoundly impacting the species distribution where the native and allogeneic species share habitats [ 25 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Peek into the Bacterial Microbiome of the Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Olah

Páll

Cerbu

et al. 2022

Animals

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Sciurus vulgaris (the Eurasian red squirrel) is native to Europe and Asia, but due to habitat destruction or fragmentation, interspecific competition, and infectious diseases, especially in European island areas the species finds itself at the brink of extinction. The repopulation of such bare habitats requires healthy squirrel specimens, either translocated from other wild habitats or reintroduced to the wilderness following captive breeding. Captivity, nonetheless, has shown an immense capacity to reshape the structure of wild species’ microbiota, adapting it to the less diverse diet and fewer environmental challenges. Therefore, assessing the differences between “wild” and “captive” microbiota in this species could elucidate if special living conditions are needed in order to augment the survival rate of specimens reintroduced into the wild. Furthermore, the microflora profile of the normal flora of healthy red squirrels raised in captivity could support clinicians in addressing infectious diseases episodes and also raise awareness on the zoonotic risk. Hence, this study aimed at documenting the bacterial species carried by S. vulgaris, disclosing overall similarities and variability patterns of the microbiota identified in individuals from two different living environments. We anticipated that the bacterial community would be less diverse in individuals raised in captivity, owing to their restrictive diet and to unchanging conditions in the enclosure. We also hypothesized that there would be a higher prevalence of zoonotic microorganisms in the captive animals, due to the proximity of humans and of other domestic species. To test this, samples (n = 100) were taken from five body regions of 20 red squirrels, both free-ranging and bred in captivity, processed by classical microbiology techniques, and further identified by biochemical assay (VITEK®2 Compact System). A relatively poor bacterial community, comprising 62 bacterial strains belonging to 18 species and 8 different genera, was identified. Most of these microorganisms were reported for the first time in S. vulgaris. With no discrimination between living environments, the highest prevalence (p < 0.001), was registered in Staphylococcus sciuri (60%; 12/20), followed by Escherichia coli (45%; 9/20) and Bacillus cereus (35%; 7/20). The results suggest unremarkable differences in diversity and richness of the resident aerobic microbiota of S. vulgaris, in relation to the living environment.

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“…The conservation of viable red squirrel populations mainly relies on the numerical control of the grey squirrel, performed by trapping and removing the animals or by shooting them (Huxley, 2003;Schuchert et al, 2014). In Great Britain, the conservation of the red squirrel is also based on the long-term management of strongholds reserves; large conifer forests are managed to increase suitability for the native species and subject to systematic grey squirrel control programs (Parrott et al, 2009;Shuttleworth et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight operated see-saw feeding hoppers are not selective for red squirrels when greys are present

et al. 2016

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The competition for food resources between the native red squirrel and the introduced American Eastern grey squirrel is well known, and can lead to the extinction of the native species. Providing supplementary food resources for the red squirrel, by adopting selective feeding hoppers, has been proposed as a possible support for the short term conservation of native populations, but studies that investigate its effectiveness have not yet been performed. In this study we evaluate the effectiveness of the feeding hoppers, in terms of selectivity towards the smaller native species, quantifying their utilization by the two species in sympatry and allopatry. Feeding hopper were not selective toward the native species. The success in the attempts to enter the hoppers was 95% for red and 86% for grey squirrels. The 50 hazelnuts provided during each feeding session, covering the energetic requirements of an individual for 6 (reds) or 3.5 (greys) days, were consumed in 45:43 ± 38:26 hh:mm by red and 31:07 ± 37:18 hh:mm by grey squirrels. The average weight of grey squirrels that entered the feeding hopper (490 ± 47 g) was higher than the calibration weight of the see-saw floor (400 g). This highlights an incorrect functioning of the system, also related to a learning behaviour of the animals. Structural modification of the feeding hoppers should be considered to obtain a real selectivity according to species before their implementation in the conservation of red squirrel populations. However feeding hoppers were selective in feeding squirrels, excluding the access to food supplies by other species. Therefore they can be used with success in supplementary feeding studies or behavioural and ecological studies, especially if combined with camera traps and individually marked animals.

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Integrating red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) habitat requirements with the management of pathogenic tree disease in commercial forests in the UK

Cited by 6 publications

References 30 publications

Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK

Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK

A Peek into the Bacterial Microbiome of the Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Weight operated see-saw feeding hoppers are not selective for red squirrels when greys are present

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