The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Partnership has been interested to receive more sightings of this elusive mammal in recent weeks. Reporting via the project website (www.wwbic.org.uk/redsquirrelproject) a sighting was reported to the north of Tywi in the Elan Valley. More intriguingly were two recent reports from areas where there have not been records for some years. One was from just north of Llandovery and the other near Llandeilo. Does this mean that there are remnant red squirrel populations outside the core areas in the mid Wales forests? This is quite possible – reds could be present in very low densities and only rarely spotted. These records are interesting additions to our sightings database for the county.

Wherever these squirrels are it is virtually certain that they are in close proximity with grey squirrels, which dominate deciduous woodlands. Greys carry the squirrelpox virus, which is deadly to the reds and one of the causes of their decline. However, he BBC website has reported that scientists have found that some red squirrels appear to have developed immunity to the disease that has had such a big role in their decline. Research at the Institute of Zoology has shown some interesting results when testing fluid samples taken from 500 squirrels that had been brought there for autopsies between 1993 and 2005 to investigate how the pox was spreading. Recently eight squirrels were founds that had antibodies to the virus. These must have been exposed at some point to the virus, and either didn't develop the disease or developed the disease and managed to fight it.

This is the first evidence that red squirrels might have some immunity and would be able to counteract the disease. The Institute is now planning to look at how widespread this immunity might be and to investigate why and how the red squirrels have been able to develop this ability to resist the pox.

This may allow the development of a vaccine could help to save red squirrels. Scientists are not sure exactly how the squirrelpox virus kills reds – it may have some sort of effect on the heart or another vital organ because it can kill them very quickly. Reds decline 25 times faster in areas where greys carry the virus.

Any vaccine would take years and a lot of investment so although is a positive sign the red squirrel is by no means out of danger yet.