Forestry Technical Note on Controlling Grey Squirrels


Reds & electricity poles

A squirrel group member in the Lake District reported finding two dead red squirrels he had picked up in his garden at the bottom of an electricity pole. They were not the first ones he had found and as there were two at once he was concerned that they might have been electrocuted. Post mortems were carried out by  the APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre near Penrith. They had indeed been electrocuted when they came into contact with the transformer on the pole.

There must be a great many of these transformers around the country, and in an area rich in wildlife they are obviously a hazard.  Electricity North West were very approachable and have proved themselves to be extremely keen to help. They were very quick to act and came out only a few days later, on a Saturday morning, to insulate the transformer on the pole to prevent any more fatalities.