Rand Carlo, it has been known for some time, has a weakness for them red squirrels. The native British ones, which the monarch often enjoys discovering on his long summer walks in the woods of Balmoral, Scotland, risk extinction due to the growing number of the particularly invasive gray population. And the sovereign also added this environmental battle to the already full program of initiatives he supported: he asked his scientists to find a definitive solution as soon as possible – but not violent – to save his red squirrels.
King Charles declares war on squirrels. But only the gray ones
Determined to contain the gray population and save European red squirrels from almost certain extinction, in recent days the sovereign met with a team of scientists who are studying the problem. And he said he was enthusiastic about one of the solutions developed: a non-lethal method, which consists of a hazelnut paste, infused with contraceptives and distributed through special weight containers, designed so that only gray squirrels, which are much heavier, can access them.
A Royal laboratory to save red squirrels
Introduced into British gardens as a decorative feature during the 19th century, the invasive gray species pushed red squirrels towards extinction across much of the country, proving superior in competing for resources and transmitting disease. And during a visit to the Biotech Campus of theAnimal and Plant Health Agency, located in the city of York, in the north of England, King Charles wanted to deepen his knowledge on all the new approaches developed to limit the damage.
King Charles visits a red squirrel study centre. (Getty Images)
Without King Charles, red squirrels would no longer exist
Dr. Julie Lane, head of the National Wildlife Management Centrepraised the monarch’s ongoing commitment to this cause. “You have been supporting our red squirrels for decades now,” he told the sovereign during his visit. «Without her, this work would not be possible».
Then-Prince Charles surprised by a red squirrel at the reopening of Hillsborough Castle in 2019. (Getty Images)
King Charles is worried: gray squirrels are ruining the environment
Dr Lane also explained that combining contraceptive methods with traditional control measures is much more effective in reducing gray squirrel populations. And the environmental stakes are much larger, warns King Charles’ scientist: gray squirrels constitute, in fact, the country’s most significant threat to biodiversitydue to the serious damage they also inflict on trees. “It’s not just about bringing back the red squirrels,” concluded Julie Lane, “it’s the whole of nature that is affected by the gray squirrels.”
The adventures of Charles and his red squirrels at Balmoral
As patron of Red Squirrel Survival Trust, British organization dedicated to the red squirrel, the monarch has long had a deeply personal connection with this species. “They are fascinating and intelligent creatures who never fail to enchant,” Carlo wrote a few years ago. «I get enormous pleasure from having them around me and even inside my home, when I am at my residence in Scotland. They are very curious and, when they go hunting for nuts, they even slip into my jacket pockets!
