OCTOBER 2007

Increase in red squirrels in Inishowen

According to the results of a report published last week by the National Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD), the increase in the number of red squirrels in Inishowen could be down to the fact that squirrels have moved out from Derry.

The Irish Squirrel Survey 2007 undertaken by COFORD shows that the spread of red squirrel habitats was particularly noticeable in Northeast Donegal. The survey of the present distributions of red squirrels and grey squirrels, was largely based on a questionnaire carried out during the period January - May 2007. In Donegal 26 questionnaires were returned and 14 sightings of red squirrels were reported while there were also three sightings of grey squirrels. The report says: "At the time of the last survey, very few sightings of either species of red or grey squirrel occurred in Donegal, all of which were close to the border with Northern Ireland in areas like Ballybofey and Stranorlan." The survey has confirmed the presence of several populations of red squirrels in Donegal particularly here in Inishowen. According to the report, "It is feasible that such populations have recently spread northward onto the peninsula from Derry (as coniferous planting in the area has provided more suitable habitat), but it may also be the case that such populations were simply not recorded in the previous survey due to small sample size".

Sightings of grey squirrels in Donegal remain relatively rare, however it is believed that there is a grey squirrel population in the county even if only small numbers of the species are to be found. Nationally, there has been a significant decrease in the numbers of red squirrels and they are thought to have become extinct on at least two occasions in Ireland. The current decline is attributed to factors such as pressure on its habitat from grey squirrels and due also to large scale forest clearance.

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