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Muirhead Red Squirrel Sanctuary, Dundee

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Dundee is the only city in Britain lucky enough to have a population of native Red Squirrels. However our Red Squirrels are under threat from their larger rivals, the American Grey Squirrel which was introduced to Scotland from America in the early 1900's, and is now causing the Red Squirrels slow disappearance, making them an endangered species.

The native Red Squirrel population is under threat from the more aggressive American Grey, which is successfully competing for habitat and food. The Greys debark mature trees, killing the tree. They are also able to digest fruit, buds and flowers whilst they are still "green" and in the unripe state, which the Red Squirrel cannot do. This results in a shortage of ripe and mature food later in the season when the Reds are able to feed. The final and possibly most serious influence the American Grey has over its Red cousin is its immunity to the squirrelpox disease of which it is an immune carrier. Within 15 days of a Red coming into contact with a Grey carrying the virus - the Red will be dead.

Here in Muirhead, on the outskirts of Dundee (Scotland) in a small woodland enclave, we feed and care for the Reds in their natural habitat.

We are a husband and wife team who are committed to helping this endangered species keep a firm foothold in the North East of Scotland. There are now only c.120,000 native Red Squirrels left in the UK, with an estimated 2,000,000 American Greys competing for the same food and habitat.

Together with help from friends and neighbours we try to help protect this endangered species by maintaining a relatively secure breeding area, providing sanctuary from predating domestic pets and controlling other animal and environmental threats where possible.

The money to do this is raised by selling calendars each year featuring superb photographs of Red Squirrels and other resident and migrating wildlife that inhabit our woodland garden.

Evidence of Red Squirrel feeding

Snowy foot prints

Location Map Showing OS Grid Ref. 334408 734252 Lic.# 00003500

Sponsorship of our calendar is always required. If you would like to sponsor a page of next years calendar as a company, or as an individual, we would be most grateful and like to hear from you.

2010 CALENDAR AVAILABLE OCTOBER 2009 for £6.99 + postage

You can e-mail us to order your calendar in advance by contacting us at: redsquirrels@tiscali.co.uk

Alternatively you can write to us at: MUIRHEAD RED SQUIRREL & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, 10 LIFF ROAD, MUIRHEAD OF LIFF, BY DUNDEE, ANGUS, SCOTLAND. DD2 5QF

Payment should be made by cheque or postal order - made out to Mr J REID, to the value of your order and sent to, 10 LIFF ROAD, MUIRHEAD OF LIFF, BY DUNDEE, ANGUS, SCOTLAND. DD2 5QF

UK & Overseas postal rates for 2010 calendar to be confirmed

all photographic images on this site remain the copyright of jimmie & rosie reid and muirhead red squirrel sanctuary. No downloading or use of any image is permitted without written permission.

Site last updated - October 2009