Conservation of genetic uniqueness in remaining populations of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in the South of England

Abstract

The Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is an emblematic species for conservation, and its decline in the British Isles exemplifies the impact that alien introductions can have on native ecosystems. Indeed, red squirrels in this region have declined dramatically over the last 60 years due to the spread of squirrelpox virus following the introduction of the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Currently, red squirrel populations in Britain are fragmented and need to be closely monitored in order to assess their viability and the effectiveness of conservation efforts. The situation is even more dramatic in the South of England, where S. vulgaris survives only on islands (Brownsea Island, Furzey Island, and the Isle of Wight). Using the D‐loop, we investigated the genetic diversity and putative ancestry of the squirrels from Southern England and compared them to a European dataset composed of 1,016 samples from 54 populations. We found that our three populations were more closely related to other squirrels from the British Isles than squirrels from Europe, showed low genetic diversity, and also harbored several private haplotypes. Our study demonstrates how genetically unique the Southern English populations are in comparison with squirrels from the continental European range. We report the presence of four private haplotypes, suggesting that these populations may potentially harbor distinct genetic lineages. Our results emphasize the importance of preserving these isolated red squirrel populations for the conservation of the species.

Bacterial Pathogens and Symbionts Harboured by Ixodes ricinus Ticks Parasitising Red Squirrels in the United Kingdom

“…The Eurasian red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris ) is native to large areas of temperate Eurasia, from Ireland and Spain in the west to Japan and the Kamchatka Peninsula in the east [ 1 ]; in much of the United Kingdom, it has been supplanted by the non-native eastern grey squirrel ( Sciurus carolinensis ), and is now considered an endangered species. UK red squirrel distribution is currently fragmented, restricted to areas of Scotland and northern England, with isolated populations on a few islands off Wales and the south coast of England [ 2 ]. The threat to red squirrels from the squirrel-pox virus, which also infects but is non-pathogenic in grey squirrels, is well documented [ 3 ].…”

Susceptibility and resistance in leprosy: Studies in the mouse model

“…Red squirrels are not currently being used as leprosy research models, primarily because of their protected species status. 42…”

“…Therefore, red squirrels appear to be a reservoir of infection in the British Isles, although current inter‐ and intra‐species transmission patterns are unknown. Red squirrels are not currently being used as leprosy research models, primarily because of their protected species status 42 …”

Health Status of the Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Population in Umbria: Results of the LIFE Project ‘U-SAVEREDS’

“…By contrast, infected grey squirrels generally act as healthy carriers without exhibiting clinical signs of the disease [ 21 , 22 ]. Therefore, the replacement of the native species by SQPV-positive grey squirrels occurs faster than with exploitation competition alone [ 19 , 23 ]. The SQPV has spread into several countries, such as Canada [ 24 ], England, Ireland [ 25 ], Wales, and Scotland [ 26 ], but there is no evidence of it in grey squirrels introduced in Italy [ 27 ].…”