Red squirrel numbers boosted by predator
The pine marten has emerged as an unlikely ally for the beleaguered native red squirrel in its battle with the grey squirrel.
This is according to scientists at the University of Aberdeen, who carried out an in-depth forensic study of the relationship between the three species.
The pine marten is a predator of the reds, but in areas where it thrives, the number of grey squirrels reduces.
The findings are published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The journal study suggests that the pine martens reverse the "typical relationship" between red and grey squirrels, where the red always loses out, according to lead researcher Dr Emma Sheehy.
"Where pine marten activity is high, grey squirrel populations are actually heavily suppressed. And that gives the competitive advantage to red squirrels," she said.
"So you see lots of red squirrels and you see them coming back into areas where they hadn't been for quite some time."
To work this out, the team carried out what Dr Sheehy described as "forest CSI". She and her colleagues attached sticky pads to the undersides of baited feeder boxes.
"All three species use these boxes and when an animal lifts the lid with its head, it leaves us a little hair sample for our analysis," Dr Sheehy said.
With DNA from those hair samples and images from motion-activated cameras confirming which animals were visiting the feeders, the scientists were able to assess each species' population and activity levels.
Pine martens - cat-sized members of the weasel family - are gradually becoming re-established in parts of Scotland, after their near extinction in the UK.
They used to be trapped in large numbers by game-keepers, and also hunted for their fur, which was a valuable export from Scotland.
Videos
Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
-
15:20 • 24.05.21
Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
-
11:39 • 24.04.21
Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
-
09:40 • 23.04.21
Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
-
15:34 • 22.04.21
Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
-
14:09 • 21.04.21
'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
-
12:37 • 03.04.21
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
-
17:33 • 11.03.21
Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
-
17:57 • 26.01.21
Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
-
13:33 • 22.01.21
Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
-
09:42 • 29.12.20
UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
-
18:41 • 24.12.20
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
-
13:33 • 31.10.20
Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
-
16:37 • 30.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
-
11:25 • 28.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
-
13:45 • 24.10.20
Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
-
11:51 • 24.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
-
11:40 • 24.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
-
10:39 • 24.10.20
Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
-
12:41 • 23.10.20
President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
-
12:16 • 23.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
-
12:02 • 22.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
-
10:35 • 22.10.20
President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
-
10:51 • 17.10.20
Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
-
15:09 • 15.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
-
13:13 • 13.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
-
12:56 • 12.10.20
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
-
12:23 • 12.10.20
Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
-
17:23 • 09.10.20
Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
-
15:53 • 09.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
-
14:11 • 09.10.20
Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
-
15:52 • 08.10.20
Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
-
10:57 • 08.10.20
Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
-
14:24 • 07.10.20
War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
-
19:31 • 05.10.20
Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
-
16:17 • 04.10.20
Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
-
12:39 • 04.10.20
Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
-
13:49 • 03.10.20
Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
-
10:12 • 29.09.20
ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
-
23:42 • 28.09.20
There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
-
18:45 • 28.09.20
EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
Most popular articles Today Yesterday For a week
-
Science/tech 16:55 • 18/11 The Results of the 19th Annual International Microelectronics Olympiad Summarized in Yerevan This year's Olympiad was conducted in two stages, with 332 participants from 16 countries, including the UAE, USA, Brazil, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Armenia, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Chile, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Vietnam, and France. -
Event 11:07 • 19/11 “New Career Opportunities and Perspectives”: a career fair will be organized for people of Artsakh The main goal of the event is to support the socio-economic integration of Artsakh residents displaced by the conflict into Armenian society. It aims to enhance their competitiveness in the labor market and address employment challenges.
Economy
-
16:51 • 11.11.24 New features for Armeconombank’s Premium cardholders
-
12:16 • 08.11.24 Ucom and Sunchild NGO install another solar plant in Areni
Event
-
14:40 • 19.11.24 Ucom’s 5G network launched in 11 new cities
Science/tech
-
14:18 • 08.05.24 AstraZeneca withdrawing Covid vaccine worldwide
