The Scottish Squirrel Database

Method steps

1. Multiple methodologies, including: sightings (public and casual, including web recording forms); grey squirrel control; transects (sightings and cones); feeding signs; hair-trap boxes; museum records. Records were submitted directly to the Scottish Squirrel Database, or supplied via Local Record Centres, squirrel groups or other bodies.

The geographical coverage is Scotland; a few casual sightings from other parts of the UK may be included. Recording effort is not standardised spatially. Coverage will reflect the many casual sightings, which are biased towards populated areas. Records generated through Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels project, such as through surveys and project based grey squirrel control, will be concentrated in the areas of project activity: Argyll & Trossachs, Tayside and North East and South Scotland. Coverage may also be influenced by the presence of other organisations involved in data collation who submit records to the Scottish Squirrel Database (such as Local Records Centres), reflecting increased resource available in these areas to mobilise data, for example. The majority of the records are recorded at 100m grid references. Where the records have been generated from trapping results they have been given 1000m grid references as the locations may be sensitive.