Islanders told not to gather around squirrel

Islanders have been warned by the States of Guernsey to not "gather" where a grey squirrel has been sighted.

It comes after the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) reported that a non-native grey squirrel had "accidentally" found its way to Guernsey.

The charity said the animal came to the island "via a vehicle" and it was seen near Bluchip in St Sampsons on Monday evening.

The States has since tasked a pest controller with trapping the squirrel, which it said would be made harder if islanders gathered in the area.

A spokesperson said: "To retrieve the grey squirrel which has been spotted in the island, the States Veterinary Officer has asked a local pest controller to set up traps where it has been seen most recently.

"We'd kindly ask islanders not to gather where the squirrel has been sighted as this will make the pest controller's job more difficult."

The grey squirrel has been classed as an invasive non-native species to the island and the States' spokesperson said no decision had been made about what the next steps would be if the squirrel was safely caught.

But the spokesperson added: "Every avenue will be explored to try to return the squirrel to a more suitable environment.

The GSPCA spokesperson explained the animal could have a negative impact on the flowers and wildlife on the island.

They also said the charity was concerned the animal had been removed from its family.

"It could have had a family in the area it calls home and it has been accidentally removed from it, and with all wildlife we like to see them returned whenever possible back to where they belong," they said.

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