The Case of the Vanishing Squirrel Narrated by David Attenborough
When Squirrel Nutkin was published in 1903, Beatrix Potter 's hero was familiar to British readers. 'One of the most beautiful and entertaining of our native animals', wrote a naturalist of the time. Today red squirrels may still be thought delightful, but few of us will have seen one. Since World War n they have disappeared from most
English counties and are much reduced in the rest of Britain.
What has caused this dramatic decline? Disease?
Starvation? The introduction of grey squirrels?
Jessica Holm is trying to unravel the mystery.
Photography MARTYN COLBECK Film editor PETER HEELEY Written and produced by DILYS BREESE BBC Bristol
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