Grey Squirrel in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, Ireland

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Grey Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, Ireland. Grey Squirrels – introduced to Ireland in a basket, as a present, in 1911 at a posh wedding in Castleforbes, Co. Longford, they’ve now multiplied to the point where they’ve caused a decline in the native red squirrel population. Greys have a wider diet, can digest unripe acords – reds cannot, so acorns vanish while the reds wait. Greys also carry diseases that they are immune to – but which can spread to reds, which are not immune.

Reds can still be found in Dublin, here and there, in places like St. Anne’s Park and there’s plans to reintroduce them to the Phoenix Park.

daev
Chief Bottle Washer at Blather
Writer, photographer, environmental campaigner and "known troublemaker" Dave Walsh is the founder of Blather.net, described both as "possibly the most arrogant and depraved website to be found either side of the majestic Shannon River", and "the nicest website circulating in Ireland". Half Irishman, half-bicycle. He lives in southern Irish city of Barcelona.