Squirrelpox claims its first victim in the Scottish Highlands: Heartbreaking image shows a red squirrel with tell-tale ulcers around its eyes and mouth - as experts warn the last surviving populations could soon be wiped out
- A red squirrel has been found killed by the disease in the Highlands
- The squirrel had the tell-tale features of the disease including ulcers and scabs
The last surviving red squirrel populations in the UK face death from the disease that has ravaged their cousins in the rest of the country.
Squirrelpox has eliminated the majority of red squirrels in the UK, with populations holding out in the north of Scotland.
But now this population faces decimation - as a red squirrel has been found killed by the disease in the Highlands.
The squirrel had the tell-tale features of the disease including ulcers and scabs around the eyes and mouth.
Liam Wilson, from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies said: 'This is a worrying development for red squirrels in Scotland, as this case north of the Central Belt may be the prelude to squirrel pox expansion both locally and further northward, although more investigative work is required to fully assess this risk.'
A red squirrel has been found killed by the disease in the Highlands. The squirrel had the tell-tale features of the disease including ulcers and scabs around the eyes and mouth
The organisation Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels said the first identified death of a red squirrel from the dreaded squirrelpox virus in Dunfermline 'could have serious consequences for the area's red squirrel populations'.
While lethal to red squirrels, squirrelpox does not affect grey squirrels which carry the disease.
It is usually fatal within two weeks and an outbreak can cause local populations to crash.
As a result, it is one of the major factors for the loss of red squirrels throughout the UK.
The UK Squirrel Accord estimates there are just 287,000 red squirrels left in the UK, with 75 per cent of these in Scotland - down from 2.5 million 100 years ago.
For comparison, there are still an estimate 2.7 million grey squirrels.
Nicole Still, the Scottish Wildlife Trust's saving Scotland's red squirrels programme manager, said: 'We are extremely concerned about this latest news.'
Squirrelpox has eliminated the majority of red squirrels in the UK, with populations holding out in the north of Scotland
The first recorded outbreak of squirrelpox in Scotland was in 2007 near Lockerbie.
Further south, the disease has ravaged populations and 'poses a major threat to Scotland's more northerly red squirrels'.
Research shows that when squirrelpox is present, greys can replace red populations around 20 times as fast as they can through competition alone.
But when grey squirrel numbers are kept low, red squirrels are given enough time to repopulate an area after suffering a major decline.