On 26 May, His Majesty the King visited the York Biotech Campus in Sand Hutton, meeting the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s wildlife scientists to learn about efforts to develop an oral contraceptive for grey squirrels. The initiative aims to humanely reduce grey squirrel numbers, which threaten the native red squirrel population through competition, disease and habitat loss. Scientists are testing a targeted feeding program that delivers contraceptives to grey squirrels, intending to slow population growth and help red squirrels thrive. APHA’s work is part of a broader conservation effort to protect the endangered red squirrel and support biodiversity across the UK.
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