"Don" wrote in message
...
snip

Seriously though, I cannot believe that there is any doubt about the grey
squirrel causing the decline in red squirrel numbers. Red squirrels used
to
be common throughout the UK in broad leaved and conifer woods but now are
confined to the extremities of the UK. Grey squirrels occur elsewhere. The
areas do not interlap. No disease or other cause is known which could have
depleted the numbers of red squirrels which are doing extremely well in
all
woodland environments on the European continent. Grey squirrels are
extremely territorial and aggressive and I have myself seen how they react
to red squirrels. How do the "experts" explain the seemingly inexplicable
decline (only in the UK where grey squirrels exist) of the red squirrel if
not due to grey squirrel expansion coincidently into the habitats the red
squirrels have lost out of?

I don't know, however it seems to be the case that opinion is now that the
rise of the grey squirrel at the same time as the fall of the red squirrel,
was, in part at least, a coincidence.

Why, therefore, it remains necessary to keep greys out of red strongholds to
ensure the survival of the latter is a mystery to me :-)


I know it would be difficult to eradicate the grey squirrel (but not
impossible) when (with tongue in cheek) the effect of these aggressive
interlopers is much more pronounced on the UK habitats than the ruddy duck
could ever be. I.e., I am suggesting that the current campaign against the
ruddy duck is not motivated by any rational demand from within the UK or
driven by UK environmental concerns.


I agree with you about that, but there are those who take the wider view,
and who believe the eradication of all ruddy ducks from Europe to be
essential to ensure that RDs don't interbreed with White Headed Ducks (there
are a few in Spain, more in Eastern Europe and Asia) and dilute their gene
pool.