Red squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
The red squirrel is a small, tree-living rodent which is believed to have been present in Ireland for 10,000 years. Many people are familiar with this native species and its bright red coat, creamy white belly, bushy red tail and distinctive ear tufts. It has sharp, curved claws for climbing and strong hind legs for jumping from branch to branch. It can climb headfirst down tree trunks. The bushy tail is used for balance and for keeping the squirrel warm at night. Their body length can be up to 22 centimetres, the tail is 18 centimetres long and the squirrel can weigh up to 350 grams.
The red squirrel in Northern Ireland is in serious trouble. The population has declined dramatically due to loss of habitat and competition form the larger, invasive grey squirrel that carries a lethal pox virus.
Belfast Zoo plays an active role in red squirrel conservation, as a member of the Northern Ireland red squirrel forum. A captive breeding population was set up at the zoo’s red squirrel nook and young kits bred at the zoo have been successfully released back into safe areas in the wild of Northern Ireland.
IUCN red list status
The IUCN status of the red squirrel is least concern.
For more info on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org (link opens in new window).
Animal class
Mammel
Conservation status
The IUCN status of the red squirrel is Least Concern.
Habitat
Forest
Population
Unknown but the population has declined dramatically in Northern Ireland.
Diet
Omnivore - primarily known for their herbivorous diet, with nuts and seeds forming the majority of their food, but they may eat insects, small animals like mice or lizards, or even bird eggs and chicks.