Colony of rare red squirrels discovered in remote Welsh forest

dailymail.co.uk ^ | April 20, 2009 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Free ThinkerNY]

A remote part of Wales is home to the last remaining colony of rare red squirrels, conservationists have discovered.

Since the introduction of the American grey squirrel in the 19th century, numbers of reds have declined after their colonies were forced to retreat.

But new evidence suggests that the red squirrels of the Tywi Valley in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales are among the purest left in Britain, thanks to a unique genetic code.

Dr Lizzie Wilberforce of The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales said: 'Visually they are no different to any other red squirrels.

'But their genotypes have never been found anywhere else - they have a Welsh red squirrel gene which tells us that they are unique and have remained isolated from other populations.

[Chuzzlewit]

yikes... that woman on the bottom right, looks like a Vulcan.

[MinuteGal]

My next brunch I'm going to serve Welsh Red Squirrel instead of Welsh Rarebit. Maybe some Welch's grape juice.....oh, wait...

Leni

[MinuteGal]

My next brunch I'm going to serve Welsh Red Squirrel instead of Welsh Rarebit. Maybe some Welch's grape juice.....oh, wait...

Leni

[wiggen]

their president,sqirbama,is out surrendering to other breeds of squirrel even as we speak.

[MinuteGal]

Did I tell you I was having two brunches.....that's why I double posted.

Leni

[Brainhose]

Very cute.
Who was the ding-dong who introduced American squirrels to Wales?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Interesting...are you in South Central Michigan, maybe Calhoun County?

[NonValueAdded]

"Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!"

[mysterio]

Indiana.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Calhoun County Michigan is home to the densest population of black squirrels in the US. (At least, in 1990)

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

The biggest and reddest of red-colored squirrels are the Malabar Giant Squirrels from India- about the size of a domestic cat, when fully grown.

[Free ThinkerNY]

She’s the Vulcan Ambassador to Venezuela. She’s on a hopeless mission to convince Chavez to think logically.

[central_va]

Dang Commie squirrels.

[Squidpup]

obligatory:

[CholeraJoe]

A credit to Wales and to all of us with Welsh ancestry.

Cue Charlotte Church singing "Men of Harlech" in the mother tongue. Cymru am Byth!

[irishtenor]

Eagle, Bald Eagle.

[Lady Jag]

Reds are smaller and can wreak more havoc than greys.

[pallis]

We have a colony of squirrelly reds in Washington, but they aren’t cute.

[BigEdLB]

Somebody contact Mike Huckabee... See if the red ones cook the same in a popcorn popper....

[goat granny]

dumb squirrels should have evolved..