Red squirrel conservation genetics

Background

The red squirrel is an iconic and native species within the UK. It is identified as a conservation priority, due to a combination of pressures on their populations. The species has undergone widespread displacements, local extinctions and population declines that have been strongly associated with the invasive North American grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). This species outcompetes Eurasian red squirrels for ecological resources and acts as a reservoir for squirrelpox virus (SQPV), a disease that is lethal to red squirrels.  In addition, recent research has shown that some UK red squirrel populations are susceptible to leprosy.

Project

To complement ongoing red squirrel research by our Conservation Medicine group, the Conservation Genetics group is undertaking genome-wide sequencing and genetic surveys of populations across the UK. An initial study¹ leveraging whole genomes from ~100 individuals evaluated genome-wide diversity, population structure and demographic history of red squirrels in Scotland, which is the last remaining UK red squirrel stronghold. The study found low genetic diversity and population structure across the country, highlighting the genetic legacies of past anthropogenic influence on the species. 

¹Read the study

Current work

A current PhD project is expanding that study, using whole genome sequencing in other populations in the UK and across the species’ Eurasian distribution. It also aims to identify landscape features affecting gene flow, assess the genetic outcomes of reintroductions in Scotland and Wales, and investigate the genomic basis of disease resistance/susceptibility. 

We are also developing and implementing a range of diagnostic tests for red squirrel diseases, including a real-time PCR assay to detect and quantify squirrelpox virus. In addition, we are using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing for broad, non-targeted pathogen screening to detect a wide range of pathogens and identify unexpected and emerging disease threats.

We hope to provide genetic data that will inform the conservation and management of UK red squirrels, helping to safeguard remaining populations into the future.

For further information on this project, please contact Margaux Fayaud or Prof Rob Ogden