Grasmere Red Squirrels

03/06/2026

We are very proud that one of our GRSG trustees, Trevor Cooper, was invited to meet HRH King Charles III last week at an event held at the Animal and Plant Health Agency in York. The event was in response to the King’s request to be updated about the progress of the ongoing development of the contraceptive for grey squirrels.

Trevor spent a few minutes talking with the King about the work he carried out in Grasmere for the APHA as part of the project research. The King was very informed about, and appreciative of, the enormous amount of work carried out by volunteers to protect our native Red Squirrel, and his enthusiasm and support for everything we are doing were clearly evident.

King Charles is in North Yorkshire, meeting scientists who are tryi...

03/06/2026

🐿️ How Can the Red Squirrel Not Be on the Shortlist?

For the past 20 years, the Grasmere Red Squirrel Group and countless other volunteers, landowners and conservation organisations have worked tirelessly to protect Britain's native red squirrel. Here in the Lake District, we know only too well that the future of our reds hangs on a knife edge as they continue to face the threat of grey squirrels and the deadly squirrelpox virus.

That is why many people will be astonished to learn that the red squirrel has not been included on the Bank of England's shortlist of British wildlife species being considered for future banknotes.

The red squirrel is one of Britain's most iconic native mammals and a species whose survival is far from guaranteed. Only this week, His Majesty King Charles visited the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to see first-hand the research being undertaken to help secure the future of red squirrels and prevent their extinction in England. The King himself has long been a supporter of red squirrel conservation.

Given the enormous conservation effort being devoted to protecting this species, many will find it difficult to understand why the red squirrel was not even included on the shortlist.

The Save Our Reds campaign has contacted the Bank of England seeking clarification on how the shortlist was compiled and whether red squirrels were considered during the selection process.

In the meantime, they have launched a public poll.

❓ Should the red squirrel have been included on the shortlist?

❓ Should the public have been given the opportunity to vote for it?

Please take a moment to share your views:

https://forms.gle/NhCsm9bdoepRvmT78

After 20 years of dedicated conservation work, we'd be very interested to hear what members of the Grasmere Red Squirrel Group think.

❤️🐿️

https://www.change.org/p/save-our-reds-a-national-recovery-plan-for-britain-s-red-squirrels/u/34733475?cs_tk=A03BK6qZwtEgPGUNKWoAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvDQ4NDcyMmEwNjk2NzM0OWFhZTcyZmYxMzg1YjQ0MDMyMWU3MDFlNzdhOWFlNTc1MWFmMDFjMjZhMTNjYTdkZTg%3D&utm_campaign=eadd537bd12b462281f2b5c769733278&utm_content=sunrise_v1_0_4&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_update&utm_term=cs

Earlier this year, many of you joined the discussion about the Bank of England's plans to feature British wildlife on the next series of banknotes. Today the shortlist has been revealed. To my surprise, the native red squirrel is not on it. The shortlist was developed with the help of a panel of wil...

01/06/2026

☔ It seems the Lake District's wet weather is back!

While many of us are reaching for waterproofs and umbrellas, Grasmere's red squirrels come equipped with their own built-in version. Their magnificent bushy tails aren't just for balance and communication – in wet weather they can arch them over their backs like a tiny umbrella, helping to keep the rain off while they feed or rest. This video clip from Paul Mosey captures this behaviour beautifully.

In fact, the squirrel's scientific name, Sciurus vulgaris, comes from Greek words meaning "shadow tail" (skia = shadow, oura = tail). Ancient observers noticed that squirrels often sat with their large tails curved over their backs, creating a patch of shade or shelter. Their name literally means "the animal that sits in the shadow of its own tail".

The tail also helps keep them warm in winter, acts as a counterbalance when leaping through the treetops, and is used to communicate with other squirrels.

So next time you're watching one of Grasmere's red squirrels braving the rain, take a moment to admire that remarkable tail – it's far more than just a fluffy decoration! 🐿️☔

01/06/2026

Emily Kate Dury spotted this gorgeous young red at the Grasmere Hotel this weekend. 🥰❤️

29/05/2026

Wow! Have you ever seen a squirrel like this?

We wanted to share this gorgeous photo of a partially leucistic young red squirrel, taken by Anne Marie Dougan in the highlands, isn't it beautiful! Our team had never seen an individual with such striking markings before.

Thank you to Anne Marie for allowing us to post it.

27/05/2026

Love this video! 😍

24/05/2026

One of our rangers Stuart Dickson took this fabulous photo this morning in the woods at White Moss near Grasmere. It is wonderful to see the reds emerging following their successful breeding season this spring!

Let us know if you spot any reds in the Grasmere area.

23/05/2026

Red squirrel action in a Grasmere garden this morning! ☺️❤️

19/05/2026

It’s not just red squirrels you can spot in the woods round Grasmere… ❤️🦉

19/05/2026

If you’re really lucky and observant, it’s not just red squirrels you can spot when you visit Grasmere… as Polly Atkin, author of and co-owner of Sam Reads Booksellers, well knows.

Polly is an expert at spotting our local owl residents, although I think with all the shouting, this one might have been quite hard to miss!(turn up the sound!)