Go Nuts About Red Squirrels at Osborne House
Red squirrels are native to Britain. But since the introduction of the grey squirrel from America, their numbers have declined dramatically. Today, the Isle of Wight is one of their few remaining strongholds and is home to a population of about 3,500 of them.
Osborne House & Gardens, where the abundance of trees and absence of roads allows them to live like royalty, is one of the very best places to spot these shy and engaging creatures. You can easily see the difference - they are smaller than grey squirrels with little tufts on their ears!
This year, Osborne’s visitors are taking part in a special squirrel spotting survey to help the island’s Wight Squirrel Project get valuable information on the strength of their numbers and to monitor their behaviour.
If you visit before October, pick up a special card at the visitor reception to record your sighting. Squirrel stickers are on hand for youngsters, other activities are planned for later in the year and updates on the survey will be regularly posted on these pages.
TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham recently launched the survey at Osborne House by leading two squirrel spotting expeditions to some of the ‘hot spots’ (near the walled kitchen garden) where the animals are most often seen. Chris told visitors all about red squirrels and other animals he has encountered whilst filming around the world.
“The Red Squirrel is one of our most captivating, but endangered animals – they have virtually disappeared from England and Wales. So it is vital that we do all we can to protect them on the Isle of Wight. This survey will help to raise awareness, especially amongst the thousands of Osborne’s visitors who don’t live on the island, and most importantly, it will really engage children,” says Chris.
To find out more about red squirrels visit www.wightsquirrels.co.uk
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