Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a project to deliver the essential protection measures required to secure the long-term future of red squirrels in Scotland and to ensure that systems are put in place to continue the delivery of these measures over the long term by working with other agencies with a stake in native species conservation and invasive non-native species management. SSRS focuses upon one of our most charismatic and well-loved mammals – the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). Once widespread, red squirrels have undergone a catastrophic population decline primarily due to competition from the non-native invasive, American grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). There is now only c.160,000 red squirrels remaining in the UK of which 120,000 occur in Scotland – 75% of the