Post by Psamathe on Jun 22, 2021 10:42:20 GMT
Whilst I "don't like them" because they are an invasive species, at the same time I do enjoy seeing them around so like many I've probably got to accept they are part of our wildlife these days. But I'd never appreciated it before about the damage they do to forests. Listening to podcast and surprised when it described about young grey males debarking trees (example 45-50% of trees) at around 10-15 ft causing massive damage.
The program is about gene editing both in general but more specifically in relation to grey squirrel control.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000tsl4
It's a 30 min audio broadcast (from BBC "Costing the Earth" series) and the damage to trees is right at the start but the broader discussion about gene editing as a control and for conservation purposes is most of the program.
Ian
Edit: I have some grey squirrels around me but I've not noticed this tree damage but then I've not really looked so maybe I'll start looking at the trees at that sort of height for bark damage ... But I'm not swamped with them as apparently we have a "control mechanism" - a neighbour has a High Voltage electricity supply transformer on poles in their garden - the 11kV to 240v transformer that supplies the entire village and they say they regularly have dead squirrels on the ground beneath it that have hit the 11kV side! (though I'd have thought even 240V 3 phase which is actually 440V would kill one).
The program is about gene editing both in general but more specifically in relation to grey squirrel control.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000tsl4
It's a 30 min audio broadcast (from BBC "Costing the Earth" series) and the damage to trees is right at the start but the broader discussion about gene editing as a control and for conservation purposes is most of the program.
Ian
Edit: I have some grey squirrels around me but I've not noticed this tree damage but then I've not really looked so maybe I'll start looking at the trees at that sort of height for bark damage ... But I'm not swamped with them as apparently we have a "control mechanism" - a neighbour has a High Voltage electricity supply transformer on poles in their garden - the 11kV to 240v transformer that supplies the entire village and they say they regularly have dead squirrels on the ground beneath it that have hit the 11kV side! (though I'd have thought even 240V 3 phase which is actually 440V would kill one).
