Glenalmond pupils enter into spirit of squirrel survey

Pupils from Glenalmond College in Perthshire have been entering into the spirit of the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey and counting red squirrels as part of the national initiative.

Scotland is home to 75% of Britain’s red squirrels and the staff and pupils of Glenalmond College are proud that the school’s 300 acres of grounds are home to a thriving population of the endangered species.

Sasha Baldwin, who coordinates the school’s Eco Group, said she was delighted with the response of pupils who rose to the challenge of reporting sightings of squirrels during the recent national survey.

Ms Baldwin said: ‘We are incredibly fortunate to have such beautiful grounds which not only provide a stunning setting for our school but also offer a vital habitat for numerous species of wildlife.

‘As a school, we are committed to encouraging our pupils to appreciate and understand the species of wildlife we share our exceptional 300 acre campus with and it was great to see our pupils rise to the squirrel survey challenge and volunteer information about sightings.

Some of the Glenalmond College pupils who took part in the survey are pictured with one of the school’s road signs warning drivers to be aware of the school’s red squirrel population

‘A large group of our pupils were even lucky enough to see a red squirrel skip across the grass quad at the heart of our school buildings, at the start of the survey week!’

As well as red squirrels, the Glenalmond School grounds, which include a nine hole golf course, also host roe deer, hedgehogs, otters, hares, pine martens and a range of bird species such as tawny owls, kestrels, willow-warblers, kingfishers and dippers.

The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is a project which is funded and supported by partners including the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Forestry, Scottish Land & Estates, Red Squirrel Survival Trust, RSPB Scotland, Heritage Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

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