Welcome to Wildlife Wednesdays where I showcase some of my favourite creatures found in the UK!
This week we're celebrating the Red Squirrel!
Red squirrels are native to the United Kingdom but their numbers have significantly dwindled since the introduction of the American grey squirrel. Roughly, there are now only 120,000 left in the UK with at least 75% of those found in Scotland.
Red squirrels can be found in coniferous woods, usually munching on hazelnuts. You may be lucky and catch one on a bird feeder storing nuts too!
Sadly, us locals in Devon are very unlikely to see one here - you'll have to head to Brownsea Island Nature reserve in Dorset. You might be in more luck up North, particularly in Cumbria (Smardale Gill), Northumberland and Perthshire (Loch of the Lowes).
For more information on where to find red squirrels, head to the Wildlife Trust.
Have you ever managed to see a red squirrel? It's certainly been a very long time since I last saw one!
Love British wildlife? Check out my British Mammals print which features my red squirrel illustration! 