Releasing Mutant Grey Squirrels Into Wild Could Save Red Squirrel, Scientists Propose
Right, so this is going to sound absolutely bonkers at first, but bear with me because theres actually some fascinating science behind it. Researchers are proposing that we could save Britains endangered red squirrels by releasing genetically modified grey squirrels into the wild. Yes, you read that correctly. The plan to save the reds involves modifying the greys. My head hurts a bit too, but lets work through this together.
The background here is that grey squirrels – originally introduced from North America in the Victorian era because apparently that seemed like a good idea at the time – have been absolutely devastating to native red squirrel populations. Theyre bigger, more aggressive, and they carry a virus called squirrelpox thats deadly to reds but doesnt affect greys. BBC Countryfile has a detailed breakdown of how gene editing could suppress grey squirrel populations and the science behind the proposal.
The proposal involves something called a “gene drive” – essentially a way of ensuring that a particular genetic modification spreads rapidly through a wild population. In this case, scientists would introduce a modification that makes grey squirrels less fertile. Over multiple generations, the grey population would decline naturally, giving red squirrels space to recover.
Now, I know what youre thinking. Releasing genetically modified organisms into the wild? What could possibly go wrong? And look, thats a fair concern. The Gene Drive Governance research project at Exeter University has been documenting the scientific, social, and ethical issues around using this technology for conservation. Gene drives are controversial precisely because once you release them, you cant easily take them back. The technology essentially forces nature down a particular path.
But the researchers argue that the alternative is watching red squirrels go extinct in England entirely. Theyre already gone from most of the country, clinging on only in a few northern strongholds and some isolated islands. Traditional control methods – trapping and culling grey squirrels – have proven too slow and too expensive to make a real difference at scale. Something more dramatic may be needed.
The ethical debates around using genetic modification for conservation purposes are genuinely complicated and I dont think theres an easy answer here. On one hand, were talking about fundamentally altering a species – even an invasive one – in ways that will cascade through generations. On the other hand, were watching a native species disappear and doing nothing isnt exactly ethical either.
The proposal is still in very early stages. Years of research and regulatory approval would be needed before anything actually got released. But the fact that scientists are even seriously discussing this tells you how desperate the situation has become. Sometimes saving nature requires intervening in nature in ways that feel deeply unnatural. Whether thats wise or foolish, I genuinely dont know. But its a conversation we need to have.
For now, the red squirrels wait. And the greys keep spreading. And somewhere in a laboratory, researchers are trying to figure out if genetic engineering might be the only thing that saves one of Britains most beloved native species.
