SILO SNIPPET

Squirrels at the double

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Reds at play 

And here is the proof I promised you a few postings back - two red squirrels in the same shot. I caught them just before sun down today playing in their favourite tree.
 But just a couple of days earlier a big, fat grey squirrel was hanging around the same tree and regulars callers to this blog known they present a deadly problem to the reds.
 Greys carry something called Squirrel Pox and while they're immune the red squirrel isn't.
 The dilemma over intervention, or not, provoked quite a lot of feedback with the majority reaching the conclusion that Nature should be allowed to take its course ... personally, I'm not sure sure.

SQUIRREL ALERT

Arrival of Greys presents moral dilemma

A big, chunky grey squirrel was spotted in a tree near my home yesterday and today it reappeared in the favourite haunt of the very one used by the little red squirrel which has featured regularly in this blog. This 'grey' sighting is bad news and could mean the end of the tiny red colony here.

Going, going ... what do you think?

 Greys carry a virus called squirrel pox which is deadly to the reds - the arrival of today's grey can only be regarded as the opening salvo in a sectarian war in which just one group can emerge as victor.
 So now we have the moral dilemma ... do we let Nature take its course or do we humans intervene on behalf of the endangered Reds? Without intervention their Fate will be sealed but with it we could be accused of meddling with Nature.
 Of course there wouldn't be an issue today had not humans intervened in the first place since it was they who introduced the native American species in the 19th/20th centuries
 Any views out there?