The research
Forest Research Centre for Human and Ecological Sciences are carrying out collaborative studies with the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), previously the Central Science Laboratory(CSL), and the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC), Fort Collins, USA.
A single-dose vaccine against Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone will be tested in captive grey squirrels.
The vaccine has been used successfully in a number of species in USA to prevent reproduction but is not species specific. Specificity will need to be achieved through bait delivery systems.
The work involves identification of the best carrier bait, methods to evaluate bait uptake by individual animals, whilst minimising risks to non-target species, followed by a vaccine trial.
Funding and timescales
This work, funded by the Forestry Commission & Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), is progressing steadily and is scheduled to be completed by April 2008.
In the news
- Sterilisation plan for grey squirrels - Daily Telegraph: 2 Oct 2007
- Can the squirrel problem be solved? - BBC: 3 Oct 2007
