They are an invasive species and replaced the prettier, native red ones. I think a bounty might cause people to set up indiscriminate traps so wouldn’t go there, but I think we should figure out a way to genocide grey squirrels
I’m ahead of you, but I am in the US so maybe my efforts are not beneficial to you. (Also, I will take back all of my grey squirrels if you will take back all of your goddamn European Starlings.)
Squirrels and starlings are shoot-on-sight at my homestead. Both species are pests, and both of them are destructive to my house, other native birds, and the nests of other native birds. (Yes, I am aware squirrels are not birds. But they still rip out the nests of songbirds in addition to perpetually trying to destroy my gutters, eaves, and soffits.)
Wrong use of the word genocide but I do agree that people are generally too scared to actually deal with invasive species
Putting a bounty on grey squirrels might cause people to breed them just to turn them in, making the problem worse.
They’re already causing a genocide towards Badgers for “environment/health” reasons and it’s done fuck all, except to harm badgers more and its population.
Yes, grey squirrels are invasive to red squirrels, but that’s cuz they’re stronger genetically than red ones, so it’s not exactly you can do much, cuz it’s in their genes.
Best thing to do is protect red squirrels and actually grow a population of them in a safe environment so they are not at risk of extinction. These conservation efforts have proven time again to be effective for this, whilst not causing harm to other populations of species as well.
