In the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser called on the Scottish Government to institute research into pox-resistant red squirrels. The Scottish Conservative MSP also called on the Scottish Government to combine immuno-contraceptive solutions within their current, trapping, monitoring and habitat protection regime.
Researchers in Liverpool have discovered that some red squirrels are immune to the deadly squirrel-pox virus which is carried by the grey squirrel.
Murdo Fraser asked the minister, “I was interested to read the reports of red squirrels in Merseyside developing immunity to the squirrel pox virus. I encourage him to have the Government agencies work on the issue to see whether further research can be done in Scotland. At the same time, could he have some research conducted into the use of immuno-contraceptives as a means of controlling the grey squirrel population?”
Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Environment responded, “I recognise the member’s interest in the matter. It is clearly important to control the spread of grey squirrels into areas such as Tayside, which is the heartland of the red squirrel population. We will continue to take advice from SNH and others on the most appropriate methods of controlling the numbers. At the moment, we do not have a programme of the kind that Murdo Fraser has described. However, it is important that we are as involved as possible in supporting all approaches to tackling the problem of the squirrel pox virus.”