T: 01492 532938
E: info@welshmountainzoo.org
Old Highway, Colwyn Bay, Conwy,
North Wales, LL28 5UY
Welsh Mountain Zoo goes nuts for Red Squirrel conservation efforts
- 21st Ionawr 2025
- Kaitlyn Jenkins
The Welsh Mountain Zoo – National Zoological Society of Wales, is proud to continue supporting its oldest ongoing project dedicated to Red Squirrel conservation as the nation celebrates Red Squirrel Appreciation Day!
With over 35 years of collaboration with various organisations and programmes the Welsh Mountain Zoo continues to ensure the UK’s only native squirrel species is conserved. The Zoo manages the captive breeding programme for Great Britain in consultation with the BIAZA Native Species working group; and provides animals for approved release projects from collaborating collections.
Conservation efforts involve breeding red squirrels in a controlled environment to maximise genetic diversity and health. Once the squirrels are sufficiently acclimatised, they are released into carefully selected woodland sites where they can join existing populations in the wild! Active involvement in these breeding and release programmes has facilitated the wild release of 34 individuals since 1998, with a further 22 red squirrels being released from other supporting collections since 2004. Integrating these individuals into the wild is part of the Zoo’s ongoing commitment to protecting and conserving this iconic species, which has faced significant decline due to habitat loss and the spread of the invasive non-native grey squirrel.
Kim Wood, Director of Living Collections at the Welsh Mountain Zoo said: “We are proud to be able to celebrate this wonderful species on this annual day, with this an opportunity to reflect on the success of the breeding and release programme, as well as our ongoing commitment to red squirrel conservation throughout the years. We look forward to continuing to work with our project partners for many years to come to ensure Red Squirrels as a species are able to survive and indeed thrive in the wild within Wales and the wider UK.”
Red Squirrel Photography - ©️Melanie Sharp
