What support is the Welsh Government making available to develop a squirrel pox vaccine to protect Wales’s native red squirrels?
I am aware that a petition 'Fund vaccine research to protect red squirrels from deadly Squirrelpox virus’ was debated in the Senedd on 27 September 2023.
The then Minister for Climate Change (MCC) responded to the debate and stated that Welsh Government will consider the development of a vaccine alongside other conservation measures to protect and promote resilience within the red squirrel population.
Working in partnership with several organisations through the Wales Squirrel Forum, Welsh Government is considering a combination of measures to protect red squirrels from squirrelpox, including reintroduction and habitat management, reducing grey squirrel population using a range of control measures, including a contraceptive bait currently in development, and potential vaccination of red squirrels.