The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Walt" wrote in message
...
Squirrel pox is said to have been carried over the border by grey
squirrels migrating north from Cumbria.

Red squirrels with the virus will suffer skin ulcers, lesions and
scabs, with swelling and discharge around the eyes, mouth, feet and
genitals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4093856.stm

Will it cross the species barrier?

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?

Alan


Walt.
.

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"Walt" wrote in message
...
Squirrel pox is said to have been carried over the border by grey
squirrels migrating north from Cumbria.

Red squirrels with the virus will suffer skin ulcers, lesions and
scabs, with swelling and discharge around the eyes, mouth, feet and
genitals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4093856.stm

Will it cross the species barrier?

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


Not unless the virus mutates into a form which is far more deadly to them.
After all, if the existing virus had a similarly lethal effect on greys as
it did on reds, the greys would have been dying off in droves for the past
twenty years, and probably not spreading north to pass it on to the reds.

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Malcolm" wrote in message
...

In article , Alan Holmes
writes

"Walt" wrote in message
. ..
Squirrel pox is said to have been carried over the border by grey
squirrels migrating north from Cumbria.

Red squirrels with the virus will suffer skin ulcers, lesions and
scabs, with swelling and discharge around the eyes, mouth, feet and
genitals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4093856.stm

Will it cross the species barrier?

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?

No, because that's the whole point as explained in the article referred
to, the greys are carriers but don't die from ti. It does actually state
this clearly enough I would have thought: "Grey squirrels are seldom
harmed by the virus, but red squirrels have no immunity and usually die
within 15 days." and "All we know is that the grey squirrels carry it.
They are unaffected clinically by it so they act as a reservoir host for
the disease. They pass it into red squirrels, who once they have caught
it, die within two weeks."

Damn!

Alan


--
Malcolm

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"Walt" wrote in message
...
Squirrel pox is said to have been carried over the border by grey
squirrels migrating north from Cumbria.

Red squirrels with the virus will suffer skin ulcers, lesions and
scabs, with swelling and discharge around the eyes, mouth, feet and
genitals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4093856.stm

Will it cross the species barrier?

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


Not unless the virus mutates into a form which is far more deadly to them.

Let us pray that it will mutate!

Alan

After all, if the existing virus had a similarly lethal effect on greys as
it did on reds, the greys would have been dying off in droves for the past
twenty years, and probably not spreading north to pass it on to the reds.

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


No.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

In article , Alan Holmes
writes

"Malcolm" wrote in message
...

In article , Alan Holmes
writes

"Walt" wrote in message
...
Squirrel pox is said to have been carried over the border by grey
squirrels migrating north from Cumbria.

Red squirrels with the virus will suffer skin ulcers, lesions and
scabs, with swelling and discharge around the eyes, mouth, feet and
genitals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4093856.stm

Will it cross the species barrier?

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?

No, because that's the whole point as explained in the article referred
to, the greys are carriers but don't die from ti. It does actually state
this clearly enough I would have thought: "Grey squirrels are seldom
harmed by the virus, but red squirrels have no immunity and usually die
within 15 days." and "All we know is that the grey squirrels carry it.
They are unaffected clinically by it so they act as a reservoir host for
the disease. They pass it into red squirrels, who once they have caught
it, die within two weeks."

Damn!

LOL!

--
Malcolm

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"Walt" wrote in message
...
Squirrel pox is said to have been carried over the border by grey
squirrels migrating north from Cumbria.

Red squirrels with the virus will suffer skin ulcers, lesions and
scabs, with swelling and discharge around the eyes, mouth, feet and
genitals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4093856.stm

Will it cross the species barrier?

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


Not unless the virus mutates into a form which is far more deadly to
them.

Let us pray that it will mutate!


It's pretty certain it will mutate, or evolve, but not so certain that the
mutated form would be one more lethal to what seems to be the main host
species.

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


No.

That's right, cheer us all up!

Alan


--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

Alan Holmes wrote:

snips...

Damn!

Alan


I don't think anybody should be blaming Grey Squirrels for the demise of
Red Squirrels. Grey Squirrels are in the UK only because of stupid
humans.


--
Larry Stoter

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


No.

That's right, cheer us all up!


What will I make pies from?

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Larry Stoter" wrote in message
.uk...
Alan Holmes wrote:

snips...

Damn!

Alan


I don't think anybody should be blaming Grey Squirrels for the demise of
Red Squirrels. Grey Squirrels are in the UK only because of stupid
humans.

I agree, but that does not mean the reds are not declining because of the
greys. and there are all the other problems assocciated with the greys.



--
Larry Stoter

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

And, more importantly, will the grey squirrels suffer the same fate?


No.

That's right, cheer us all up!


What will I make pies from?

I'm told you can eat the greys, but I've never found one wth enough meat on
to make it worthwhile trying.

Alan


--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

What will I make pies from?

I'm told you can eat the greys, but I've never found one wth enough meat on
to make it worthwhile trying.


They're very good - but you need several for a decent pie.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

What will I make pies from?

I'm told you can eat the greys, but I've never found one wth enough meat
on
to make it worthwhile trying.


They're very good - but you need several for a decent pie.

I'm only catching one every few days, they would go mouldy before I have
enough to make a pie!

Alan


--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The plight of the Red Squirrel: From Scotland.
 

The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:
"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Alan Holmes" contains these words:

What will I make pies from?

I'm told you can eat the greys, but I've never found one wth enough meat
on
to make it worthwhile trying.


They're very good - but you need several for a decent pie.

I'm only catching one every few days, they would go mouldy before I have
enough to make a pie!

Skin 'em and clean 'em and freeze 'em.

I often stockpile things a bit at a time like that.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig