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OPEN COUNTRY
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Sat听 6.10 - 6.35am
Thurs 1.30 - 2.00pm (rpt) |
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Local people making their corner of rural Britain unique |
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This week |
Saturday听22 November
Repeated Thursday听27 November |
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There are fears will be extinct in England and Wales within the next 25 years. Cumbria, Northumberland, North Yorkshire and North Merseyside are home to the last remaining populations of red squirrels in mainland England.
The North American grey squirrels are being blamed for the decline as they encroach on their territory and spread the squirrel pox virus. This virus kills the reds but doesn鈥檛 seem to affect the greys.
However, there is now new hope of saving the species with the discovery that some of the animals have developed immunity to the squirrel pox virus. A survey of the corpses of more than 500 red squirrels collected for laboratory analysis found that eight had been exposed to the squirrel pox virus but had died from other causes. And seven of these came from听 and the Gateshead area.
And this is why Matt is in Cumbria this week 鈥 to investigate the latest situation and to find out if this news brings new hope to those fighting to conserve our red squirrels.
Matt visits the Lowther Estate, near Penrith and talks to Red Squirrel Ranger, Jerry Moss and Conservation Manager Robert Benson about the control of grey squirrels. As well as setting traps for grey squirrels, they marvel at the beauty of . A now derelict building which is in part being restored to its former glory.
There are 17 Red Squirrel Reserves in the North of England. These reserves are coniferous forests which provide a good food source for the red squirrels. Simon O鈥橦are works for the Wildlife Trust and explains why these managed forests are so important to the future of the species.
Virologist, Dr Colin McInnes joins Matt walking through Whinfell forest to talk about the recent research which has found that 8 red squirrels from this area have survived the squirrel pox virus. This could lead to the development of a vaccine against the virus.
From Whinfell, Matt travels to Wendy Martin鈥檚 cottage. Wendy is called the local 鈥淏eatrix Potter鈥 and we hear stories of how she raised a red squirrel kitten which was then released into the wild.
The decline of red squirrels is much more severe in Southern Cumbria and Matt asks local builder and joiner, Geoff Heatherington why this is so. Large areas of forest have been stripped of their bark by the animals but red squirrels are now returning to this area due to the drive of conservation volunteers.
At the end of his journey, Matt decides to taste grey squirrel in the kitchen of Chef, Mark Sanders.
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