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January 2007 Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH) asked us to talk about Red Squirrels to one of their researchers, as the Dundee Red Squirrel Project had identified
our sanctuary as an area frequented by the local Red Squirrel population. An SNH representative was making a study of natural areas within urban environments, and
was particularly interested in how much enjoyment people in urban environments get from having areas of natural beauty nearby.
Her reaserch was to be used to raise awareness of the plight of the Red squirrel and to compile a presentation of
findings for publication to government bodies.
February 2007
Scottish TV came to film the squirrels in our garden sanctuary for a North Tonight
(STV’s evening news) programme, to raise awareness of the plight of the red squirrel in the UK.
| STV news crew with Ken Neil of DRSP |
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March 2007 The Dundee Red Squirrel
Project sponsor a promotional DVD, and ask to film the red squirrels in the sanctuary. Two cameramen came and set up a small hide in the garden. They filmed for a
few hours, lying amongst the ferns in the undergrowth in freezing conditions with frost on the ground, but the end result
was well worth it as it’s a super DVD.
| Independent cameraman Scott Sigsworth of icufoto |
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April 2007
The BBC came to the sanctuary for three days of filming red squirrels for
a new series called 'the nature of Britain', presented by Alan Titchmarsh. The series producer Stephen Moss was
delighted with the amount of squirrel footage they’d managed to get, and both he and cameraman Steve Phillipps
went back to Bristol very happy. The BBC broadcast the series in October 2007 on BBC 1.
| One of BBCs top wildlife cameramen Steve Phillipps |
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July 2007
Dundee City Council spent millions of pounds on renovating Baxter Park, one of several parks within the Dundee area. The official opening ceremony was held on 2nd July, and was attended by HRH Queen Elizabeth and
HRH Prince Philip. The Dundee Red Squirrel Project had one of the many information/promotional stands in the park that day,
and one of their enormous free standing information boards was one of our photo’s with a four foot high squirrel.
| Prince Philip with Dundee City Council Rangers |
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August 2007
We were contacted by the Photo Editor of The New York Times
Magazine, who was producing an article about the effects on the red squirrel population in Britain since the introduction of
American grey squirrels in the 19th century. The editor asked if they could send a photographer from New York to take
photos of red squirrels in our garden sanctuary to use in their article. The photographer was here for 6 days, and took over
3,500 photos of the squirrels and surrounding countryside. The article was published on 7th October 2007 and
can be read at www.nytimes.com/pages/magazine
| Photographer Simen Johan working for The NYT |
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| The composite picture published by The NYT |
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December 2007
Children from Kingspark Primary School presenting a cheque for £90. The children raised the money at their Christmas
fair selling cards and Christmas decorations based on their poject about Red squirrels.
| Children from Kingspark Primary School |
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February 2008 Visitors from the Red Squirrel Childrens Nursery on an educational field trip, doing a bit
of squirrel spotting.
| Field trip for the Red Squirrel Childrens Nursery |
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May 2008 Our first release of a squirrel back in to the wild. 'Caledon' was found near Banff in the
north of Scotland and given to the Scottish SPCA. He was only 3 weeks old and still had his eyes shut when found. The Scottish
SPCA hand reared him for a further 5 weeks at their rescue centre in Dunfermline Central Scotland. At 8 weeks old they were
looking for a home for Caledon where his progress could be monitored. They brought him to the sanctuary for release
and we marked his tail so that he could be identified for a short time.
| Baby Caledon at 4 weeks old |
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| Release day for Caledon |
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| Caledon - complete with yellow tail |
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May 2008
'Beavers' from the 46th Angus Scout Troupe visiting the sanctuary. They were there to listen to Dundee City Council's Countryside
Ranger Ken Neil, who was giving a talk about the Red Squirrels.
| 46th Angus Beaver Scout Troupe |
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May 2008 A film crew from the BBC arrived to get more footage of Red Squirrels. The BBC were producing a series
of programmes to be aired in the Autumn of 2008 on making your garden wildlife friendly, called 'wild about your garden'. They
were filming at our sanctuary to show what could be done in residential gardens and to highlight the variety of animals that
could be attracted there.
| Alistair & Jamie filming and recording for the BBC |
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| Ellie Harrison - one of the BBC presenters |
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August 2008 A new sponsor joins us at the Sanctuary for 2008/2009. Anne Smith, managing director of Keep-Safe
Storage Centres, presents sanctuary owners Jimmie and Rosie with a cheque for £500, to help with boundary fencing to
protect the wildlife.
| Jimmie & Rosie receiving a cheque from Anne Smith |
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September 2008 CSV Action Earth and Scottish Natural Heritage award a grant of £250 towards fencing,
and the purchase of bird, bat and hedgehog boxes.
| CSV Action Earth volunteers |
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September 2008 The Scottish SPCA asked if we would adopt 10 young hedgehogs (hoglets). A film crew from Tigress
Productions filming for Animal Planet arrived with the Scottish SPCA field officer to hand over the hoglets. Animal Planet
were making a 13 part series to be aired in October 2009, which followed the daily events of their animal rescue staff
based in Scotland.
| SSPCA officer Nadia with film crew and hoglet |
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| Scottish SPCA officer with hoglet |
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| Hoglet heading back to the wild |
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FEBRUARY 2009
A field trip by Tiddly
Winks pre school childrens nursey to do a bit of red squirrel spotting.
| Tiddly Winks visitors |
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MARCH 2009
A Brownie pack visits the
sanctuary to receive a talk from Dundee City Council Wildlife Ranger Brian Tasker as part of their Nature badge.
| Brownie Pack and Ranger Brian Tasker |
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APRIL 2009
The first section of our
all weather disabled access is opened by Cllr. John Whye from Angus Council. Supporters and friends attend the ceremony.
| Cllr John Whytte opening all weather disabled path |
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MAY 2009
The local Rainbow Pack
visits to go red squirrel spotting and to here Scottish Wildlife Trust Officer Ken Neil tell them about the life of the red
squirrel and how we can all help to save them from extinction.
| Rainbow's given a talk by an SWT officer |
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JUNE 2009
Scottish SPCA officers
Colin Sedon and Krystal Aitcheson arrive with a film crew from channel 5 to record the release of a baby red squirrel called
'Aussie'.
Channel 5 were making a series of programmes to be shown in August 2009 called Michaela's Animal
Road Trip. In this episode they were filming the relase of Aussie back into the wild after being cared for and weaned by Krystal
at the Scottish SPCA rescue center in Dunfermline.
| Channel 5 film 'Aussie' and sanctuary owner Rosie |
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| Scottish SPCA officers transport |
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| But 'Aussie' doesn't want to go! |
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JULY 2009
Scottish SPCA Officers Bob
and Krystal return to the sanctuary with 5 more orphaned hedgehogs. The sanctury can offer a safe environment for these youngsters
to get use to being back in the wild before moving on to explore new pastures for themselves.
These 2 officers obviously
enjoy their work; and seeing the animals they have cared for returning to the wild makes it all the more special.
| Scottish SPCA officer preparing to release hoglet |
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| 2 happy Scottish SPCA officers after the release |
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JULY 2009
Volunteers help lay disabled
access as part of the CSV 2009 Action Earth grant. The walkway gives disabled children and those with learning difficulties
a better and safer access to the sanctuary.
| CSV Action Earth 2009 volunteers |
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