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Pine martens may be the key to defending some of the last strongholds of the native red squirrel against invading American greys, according to new research.
Scotland is host to about 75 per cent of the British population of 160,000 red squirrels, which are under attack from 2.5 million greys, some of which carry the squirrel pox virus which is fatal to the native reds.
Even in Scotland, red squirrels have already been lost from an extensive area in the Central Belt and are now found primarily in the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Argyll, Perthshire, Grampian and the Highlands.
Scotland is host to about 75 per cent of the British population of 160,000 red squirrels, which are under attack from 2.5 million greys, some of which carry the squirrel pox virus which is fatal to the native reds.
Even in Scotland, red squirrels have already been lost from an extensive area in the Central Belt and are now found primarily in the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Argyll, Perthshire, Grampian and the Highlands.
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