Plans to curb grey squirrel populations via fertility controls is good news, according to a Cumbrian red squirrel conservation group.

The UK government recently announced plans to create 25 new or enlarged national nature reserves for red squirrels in England, and their backed fertility control programme will see field trials begin next year.

The trials are expected to complete by 2027 and it is planned that the contraceptive will be rolled out to other land and forestry owners, farmers, and the public.

Robert Benson, chair of the Penrith and District Red Squirrel Group, fully backed the plans to curb grey squirrel numbers this way.

He said: “We support the fertility control programme, the objective there is to stop grey squirrels breeding by either a contraceptive or a thing called gene drive which will make all the progeny male.

“As a red squirrel conservation group, the way you conserve red squirrels is by controlling grey squirrels because they out compete the reds, and virtually all English grey squirrels are carrying this virus called squirrel pox.

“The effects of this is a bit like a grey squirrel getting a cold, but a red squirrel gets triple pneumonia and dies, they all die if they get it.

“Anything that can be done nationwide to control the breeding of grey squirrels and reduce them in due course has got to be a very good thing and will give the native red squirrel the chance to survive and prosper.”

Grey squirrels first came to Britain as a novelty species in parks and estates in the 1870s. 

Up until then the only British squirrels were our native reds that have lived here since the last ice age. 

Today it is estimated that there are more than 2.7million greys and just 270,000 reds, the majority living in Scotland. 

As grey numbers reduce it is likely that the reds will expand their territories into England and Wales where existing populations and territories will also increase.

Robert added: “Grey squirrels do a massive amount of damage by ring baring trees, absolutely massive amount of damage.

“They chew around the tree about 25 feet up, they take off the bark, then it becomes impossible for the tree to transfer the sap from the root up to the tree canopy, red squirrels don’t do that.

“They do a huge amount of damage by getting into buildings, nesting into people’s lofts, and they are real predators when it comes to birds nesting in hedges and in trees.

“All this comes in at a time where nature is a pretty low ebb in the UK generally, these grey squirrels cause a massive risk to all the tree planting.”