The Squirrel
/Collections/Natural-History/Animals/Squirrel_600)
The red squirrel is an increasingly rare sight in Northern Ireland whereas the grey squirrel (introduced in 1911, Co Longford) is very common and can be seen in and around the trees on the Mall opposite the Museum.
The grey squirrel out-competes the red for food and has a more varied diet which along with it being less susceptible to a form of a 'pox' virus helps explain the expansion.
The last strongholds for the red squirrel are in County Antrim with other concentrations including Tullymore Forest, Co Down and an embattled Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast, where the greys are increasingly encroaching.
The popular image of the red squirrel storing nuts in the ground is correct, but it does not hibernate during the winter.
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