The future of red squirrels in the UK is in danger and conservationists are calling for your help.
SEE ALSO:Wow, this gang of squirrel monkey babies is very adorableThe endangered mammal needs protection from the invasive grey squirrels introduced in 1876 from North America.
A total of 5,000 volunteers are required in "red squirrels strongholds" across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Volunteers will work with partner organisations to monitor the red squirrels, set up camera trips to film their behaviour, educate the public about the species and "speedy report" the larger, common grey squirrels when they move into strongholds for red squirrels.
And volunteers can also do some training to learn how to trap and kill grey squirrels -- by putting them in a bag and knocking them over the head.
“It’s not everyone’s cup of tea and we don’t expect people to do it if they are not comfortable but we do have volunteers who carry out the dispatch themselves,” Dr Cathleen Thomas, programme manager of Red Squirrel United, told the Guardian. She said the organisation has "very strict animal welfare guidelines."
There are more than 2.5 million grey squirrels, largely outnumbering the 140,000 remaining red ones and carrying the squirrelpox virus, which is deadly to the reds.
Credit: craig shuttleworth/rsst“In most of the UK there are only a handful of refuges left for red squirrels; without help, experts predict this beautiful and treasured creature could be extinct within as little as 35 years," Thomas said.
"Volunteers are playing a crucial role enabling red squirrels to thrive. Problems arise because grey squirrels are competing with reds for food and places to live, pushing them into areas where they find it more difficult to survive. Greys can also transmit disease to reds."
Scotland alone is home to 120,000 red squirrels, three quarters of the UK population.
(责任编辑：綜合)
Pokémon Go is so big that it has its own VR porn parody now
The essential podcast that's out to amplify 'the choir of The Wire'
8 ideas for a fun Labor Day weekend indoors
What is invisible labor? It's real and it hurts. Here's what to know.Tributes flow after death of former Singapore president S.R. NathanThis company is hiring someone just to drink all day
For the non-Don Drapers among us, drinking at work is a far-off fantasy. But UK company ILoveGin wan
...[详细]The FBI raided Jake Paul's house for reasons that are not yet clear
YouTuber Jake Paul's house has been raided by the FBI, TMZ first reported on Wednesday. The gossip o
...[详细]Dad's genius Zoom Halloween costume for his daughter is scary good
We've already found the perfect 2020 Halloween decoration, but now, thanks to one extremely crafty d
...[详细]Apple kicks third party speakers and headphones out of its store
Apple is no longer selling any third-party speakers or headphones in its online store. The change, n
...[详细]You can now play 'Solitaire' and 'Tic
Google just added two new fun Easter eggs to its search results. 。You can now play 。 Solitaire。and 。 Ti
...[详细]Your Android device becomes a mini
Project xCloud is almost here.Microsoft's long-hyped entry into the realm of cloud gaming is coming
...[详细]Apple kicks third party speakers and headphones out of its store
Apple is no longer selling any third-party speakers or headphones in its online store. The change, n
...[详细]The essential podcast that's out to amplify 'the choir of The Wire'
Welcome to2000sWeek! We're exploring the pop culture that shaped us at the turn of the millennium, a
...[详细]Snapchat is about to explode in popularity, report says
Snapchat is about to have a couple of really good years.。The company will see huge gains in the numb
...[详细]How much screen time is too much? What's the best educational app?
Welcome to this installment of our limited runSmall Humansadvice column! Senior Features Writer Rebe
...[详细]
