Red and Gray Squirrels in The UK
A decline of the red squirrel and the rise of the Eastern gray squirrel, an import from North America, has been widely remarked upon in British popular culture. It is mostly regarded as the invading grays driving out the native red species. Evidence also shows that gray squirrels are vectors of the squirrel parapoxvirus for which no vaccine is currently available, and which is deadly to red squirrels but does not seem to affect the non-native host. Currently the red squirrel only survives in a few isolated areas of the UK, coniferous forests in Scotland, and in England's Formby, the Lake District, Brownsea Island, and the Isle of Wight. Special measures are in place to contain and remove any infiltration of gray squirrels into these areas.
The Eastern gray squirrel is regarded as vermin it is illegal to release any into the wild; any caught have to be humanely destroyed.
Read more about this topic: Tree Squirrel
Famous quotes containing the words red and, red and/or gray:
“Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.”
—Stephen Crane (1871–1900)
“The sable presbyters approach
The avenue of penitence;
The young are red and pustular
Clutching piaculative pence.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“Life stood on the top stair a moment
Waved her last gray slander down the stair,
I will not forget her absent eyes
Her other smile like one rose
Falling, falling everywhere....”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)