6cm Round Badge Featuring the Red Squirrel

A detailed design featuring the rare red squirrel. Beneath this unique artwork is the scientific name - sciurus vulgaris More information about the red squirrel: The red squirrel is native to the UK but in the last century the population has fallen from a high of 3.5 million to less than 140,000. The introduction of the grey squirrel in the late 1800s and natural habitat loss are major factors in the decline in the UK red squirrel population. Red squirrels are a protected species in the UK. According to The Wildlife Trusts ‘without conservation management, red squirrels could become extinct in England in approximately 10 years’. There are only a handful of sites where red squirrels are found, and local and national conservation programmes help to keep the species afloat. In 2015 Red Squirrels United was set up, ‘linking together successful regional initiatives to conserve, protect and promote’ native red squirrels and ‘increase community involvement in red squirrel conservation’.