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Animal Welfare: Squirrels

Answer

The Scottish Executive are fundinga three-year squirrel pox virus research project to establish factors in the transmission of the virusand how it is replicated within the body of infected animals. The project will begin this June at a total cost of £300,000. The UK Red Squirrel Group is actively seeking to encourage new partners in developing and funding appropriate squirrel pox research proposals. My department is funding a three-year project to examine the effectiveness and potential side effectsof fertility control as a means of managing over-abundant wildlife populations. The project is to establish proof of concept for birds and mammals and three main species are being used to test the technique: wild boar, grey squirrel and ring-necked parakeet. This project is costing £993,000. Additionally, the Forestry Commission is providing £40,000 for work on grey squirrel. To date, immunocontraceptive vaccines have been tested only on wild boar and only by injection. This project is due to end on 31 March 2008. It had been intended to test vaccines on grey squirrels but the development of oral baiting systems has not progressed sufficiently and therefore preliminary trials on another type of fertility control agent have been initiated. The work on this project is still at a relatively early stage and further research is likely to be required to fully evaluate fertility control as a viable management technique.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

3648; 692 c68-9WA

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Animals Contraceptives Diseases Grants Pest control Research Squirrels

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk