Squirrelpox Outbreak Fears Grip Scottish Town

Wildlife charities have raised alarms regarding potential squirrelpox cases, following numerous reports of unwell red squirrels in Dollar, Clackmannanshire. This highly contagious virus, typically carried by grey squirrels, is lethal to native red squirrels, causing symptoms like facial and genital lesions that impede feeding and movement. Post-mortem examinations are the only definitive way to confirm squirrelpox, which usually results in death within two weeks.

Experts from Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels and the Eastern Lowlands Red Squirrel Group believe it is highly probable the affected squirrels have the disease, based on video evidence. They advise the public to remove wildlife feeders from gardens for the next fortnight and to send any found dead red squirrels to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh for analysis.

The first recorded squirrelpox outbreak in Scotland occurred near Lockerbie in 2007, with subsequent outbreaks documented in southern red squirrel populations. Only one confirmed case has been found north of Scotland's central belt, in Dunfermline in 2024. The Eastern Lowlands Red Squirrel Group is actively working to contain the potential spread and is seeking local residents to host live traps.

Red squirrels, Scotland's only native squirrel species, have seen a significant population decline, with an estimated 220,000 remaining. Their primary threat comes from larger, invasive grey squirrels that outcompete them for resources.