More and more red squirrels are emerging in several counties.
New research conduced by NUI Galway has discovered that the population of squirrels is rising in several counties.
And it's thanks to pine martens, who hunt the grey squirrel - which carry a disease fatal to the red squirrel.
Researchers said “The re-emergence of the pine marten, which had previously almost disappeared in Ireland, is linked to the local demise of the greys.”
With lower numbers of grey squirrels, red squirrel numbers have increased and they have returned to woods where they had previously disappeared.
Grey squirrels was introduced to Ireland in the early 20th century and continues to thrive in urban areas.
NUI Galway’s Dr Colin Lawton said: “We are delighted with the response from the public, who were enthusiastic and showed a wealth of knowledge of Ireland’s wildlife.
"It is great news to see two native species recovering and doing well.”
The report makes recommendations to ensure the red squirrel and pine marten continue to thrive, with further monitoring required to allow early intervention if conservation at a local or national level is required.
Dr Lawton said: “We encourage our citizen scientists to continue to log their sightings on the national platforms. Our collective knowledge is a powerful tool in conservation.”
