Squirrelpox outbreak detected in north Wales – without a vaccine, the disease will keep decimating red squirrels

Concerns over the spread of squirrelpox have increased after a sick red squirrel was found in Bangor, Wales, in late November.

It’s not the first time an outbreak has happened in the area – back in 2020/21, the disease caused a loss of 70%-80% of its red squirrel population. Such major outbreaks are devastating and lead to dramatic and ongoing red squirrel declines.

Conservationists have a formidable task to ensure that similar losses do not happen again. The current national strategy is simple: cull grey squirrels in areas where red squirrels persist. However, there is no single, straightforward way to safeguard the future of this native mammal at the moment.