Deadly Squirrelpox Reaches Clackmannanshire

A devastating virus, squirrelpox, deadly to native red squirrels, has been identified in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. This marks only the second confirmed instance of the virus appearing north of the country's central belt, raising significant concerns for the endangered species.

The Eastern Lowlands Red Squirrel Group (ELRSG) is actively monitoring the situation, with cases recorded near Dollar last month. They are also investigating a potential outbreak in Devilla Forest, Fife. Symptoms of squirrelpox include debilitating facial and limb lesions, lethargy, and difficulty moving, often proving fatal within two weeks.

Wildlife advocates are calling for community action. Residents in affected areas are urged to remove garden feeders for a minimum of two weeks to prevent disease transmission. Additionally, volunteers are sought to help trap non-native grey squirrels, which carry the virus without succumbing to it, further exacerbating the threat to native reds.

First recorded in Scotland in 2007 near Lockerbie, squirrelpox has primarily impacted populations in the south. The single previous confirmed case north of the central belt occurred in Dunfermline in 2024. Red squirrels, Scotland's sole native species, face an ongoing struggle for survival, with their numbers estimated to be below 220,000 due to competition and disease spread by grey squirrels.