On Red Squirrel Appreciation Day we’re encouraged in Carlow and Kilkenny to help with a survey

Today is ‘Red Squirrel Appreciation Day’ and a survey’s been launched to help track the population of the native animal. 

It’s future had looked bleak for some time after the introduction of its grey cousin led to an initial take-over.

But now the reds appear to be making a remarkable and unexpected comeback as the resurgence of the pine marten has helped to level the playing field as it attacks the relative newcomers and leaves the original crew alone.

To that end, we’re being called upon to monitor all three researchers in NUI Galway and the National Biodiversity Data Centre setting up The Urban Squirrel Survey.

See more on that here.