on the BBC news today

[Christina Websell]

evidence that some red squirrels have antibodies to the grey squirrel pox.
They were trapped and their blood was tested. Great news.

[Bob Hobden]

Post by Christina Websell
evidence that some red squirrels have antibodies to the grey squirrel pox.
They were trapped and their blood was tested. Great news.

Just back from a week in the Lake District, an annual pilgrimage, and
commented to me wife that there do not seem to be as many Red Squirrels
about as there used to be. We only saw two and one was squished on the road.
Lots of posters about Squirrel Pox and what to look out for. It follows that
the ones with resistance will live and breed so passing on the resistance as
has probably happened with the Greys but a long time ago. Lets hope they
continue the "humane killing" of the greys where Reds are threatened.

[Christina Websell]

Post by Bob Hobden

Post by Christina Websell
evidence that some red squirrels have antibodies to the grey squirrel pox.
They were trapped and their blood was tested. Great news.

Just back from a week in the Lake District, an annual pilgrimage, and
commented to me wife that there do not seem to be as many Red Squirrels
about as there used to be. We only saw two and one was squished on the
road. Lots of posters about Squirrel Pox and what to look out for. It
follows that the ones with resistance will live and breed so passing on
the resistance as has probably happened with the Greys but a long time
ago. Lets hope they continue the "humane killing" of the greys where Reds
are threatened.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Once upon a long time ago, I could sit in my office and see red squirrels in
the Scots pines opposite. Long gone :-(
Although I like most animals, I wish a pox on those greys.
It's probably too late to do much about it.
OTOH we gave the USA starlings in return, which are doing so well over there
that they are a real pest.

Tina

[Bob Seago]

Post by Christina Websell
evidence that some red squirrels have antibodies to the grey squirrel
pox. They were trapped and their blood was tested. Great news.

Good news indeed, and in line with previous data about a fraction of red
squirrels in captivity survived the pox and thereafter had some immunity.

However it is also true that it is mainly competition for territories
which has decimated red squirrel populations, and this was going on before
the incidence of sqpv.