As a Greek Cypriot living in Enfield, Polycarpia Victoros is fighting to save her furry little grey friends from becoming the victims of an impending law.
As of October, UK legislation will make it illegal to release a grey squirrel that has been rescued and rehabilitated, even if the animal is 100% healthy. As well as the grey squirrel, there are many other animals on the ‘Invasive Alien Species’ list. Miss Victoros strongly objects to this, as do thousands of others: “If rescue centres are not allowed to release the animals back into the wild, then, due to an array of limitations, namely space, they simply cannot operate and grey squirrels will either be turned away or euthanized.”
A current petition against the Invasive Alien Species Order 2019 has currently reached over 57,000.
Grey squirrels are loved by so many people in London parks, especially by children; unfortunately, there is a lot of negative press surrounding grey squirrels, particularly by so-called conservationists in support of the ‘native’ red squirrel. If it’s not a red squirrel, then there’s a chance it’ll soon be a dead squirrel. There are also programmes to cull grey squirrels en masse. Squirrels are trapped, put into a sack, and then bludgeoned to death with a blow to the head; how is that humane?
“Killing grey squirrels because they are an ‘invasive alien species’ is tantamount to the ethnic cleansing of animals. It is unacceptable in humans and it is unacceptable in animals,” said Miss Victoros.
Humans brought grey squirrels to the UK from America – we’re responsible, it’s not their fault. There is also a historical hypocrisy to note; when the Scottish Highlands was full of red squirrels in the early to mid 20th century, the Highland Squirrel Club senselessly killed thousands and thousands of reds, yet now, ironically, the Highlands is a haven for reds. Now the tables have turned on the greys.
Miss Victoros became intrigued by grey squirrels in 2018 having watched a lady feed them in Bournemouth, and then set herself a challenge with the local squirrels in Enfield: “Squirrels have wonderful personalities, can be very friendly and are funny. I’ve built up a trust with some of the grey squirrels and they regularly feed from my hand. I could watch squirrels all day, they’re brilliant!”
Please sign and share the following petition against the proposed new legislation:
bit.ly/SquirrelPetition
