Spotted a squirrel on your morning walk? From Monday, Scotland wants to hear about it.

The eighth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey runs from 5 to 11 October, and anyone can take part. All you need to do is report any red or grey squirrel you see to Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels (SSRS), the partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

How to take part

Sightings are logged online at scottishsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sightings. The survey asks for both species, so don't skip the greys.

Sightings can come from anywhere in Scotland, whether that is a back garden, a busy urban park or a remote woodland. The organisers say areas where few squirrels have been seen before matter just as much as known squirrel territory.

Autumn is a good time to look, as squirrels are often more visible while they gather food for the colder months. There is also a kids' worksheet and a set of squirrel-spotting tips on the project website.

Why it matters

Red squirrels have declined in recent decades because of competition from invasive non-native grey squirrels. Some greys also carry squirrelpox, a virus that is deadly to reds, so keeping the two species apart is vital to protecting them.

The SSRS project works with communities, landowners and partner organisations to protect reds where they are most under threat. Staff and volunteers monitor squirrels and control grey numbers in priority red squirrel habitat, using public sightings to track where squirrels are.

According to the organisers, survey sightings help show how the distribution of each species is changing, where conservation effort should be focused, and where greys may pose an immediate threat to reds.

Molly Martin, SSRS communications and engagement officer for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "Anyone can be a red squirrel conservationist, just by submitting a squirrel sighting to our website."

She added that the survey "provides a snapshot of where red and grey squirrels are being seen at one of their most active times of year. This helps us understand how population distributions are changing as a result of our work."

Last year, more than 1,100 people reported over 1,500 sightings in the week, which the Scottish Wildlife Trust says made it Scotland's biggest squirrel survey. Each sighting is checked by the team before it goes on the online map, and this year's results are expected to be published by December 2026.

This year SSRS has teamed up with Walkhighlands to encourage walkers to take part. Co-founder Paul Webster said: "Catching sight of a red squirrel while we're out and about is always a thrill and makes us feel incredibly lucky."

Events near Glasgow and Clydebank

The organisers' events list doesn't include anything in Glasgow or Clydebank itself, but readers in the west have a few options within reach:

  • 5 to 11 October: self-led squirrel trail at RSPB Scotland Loch Lomond nature reserve. Pop into the welcome hub for a worksheet.
  • Thursday 8 October: squirrel walk and advocacy talk with Cumbernauld Living Landscapes, Forest Wood Wildlife Reserve, 1pm to 3:30pm. Free, but book a ticket.
  • Saturday 10 October: SSRS stall with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park at Balmaha visitor centre, 10am to 4pm.
  • Sunday 11 October: squirrel walk with Cumbernauld Living Landscapes at Cumbernauld Community Park, 1pm to 3:30pm. Free, but book a ticket.

Booking links and the full list of events across Scotland are on the survey page.

You don't need an event, though. A squirrel in your local park counts just as much as one in a forest.

As Martin put it: "Every sighting of both red and grey squirrels is important, and we hope that people will enjoy spending time outside looking for squirrels too!"