FAQ: Are red squirrels protected by law?
The red squirrel is protected under domestic law by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, as strengthened in Scotland by the provisions of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 which outlaws “reckless” as well as “intentional” damage to either the animals or their dreys.
Red squirrels are also protected under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and Appendix III of the Bern Convention.
It is not, however, a European Protected Species under the Habitats Directive (EC/92/43)
although there have been calls for this level of protection since the introduction of grey squirrels to Italy.
