Should we EDIT NATURE?

Genetic engineering could revolutionise environmental conservation, from reducing invasive species to making plants and animals resilient to climate change. But should we use this newfound power – and if so, how should it be controlled?

- Jheni Osman

The grey squirrel is a familiar creature in our parks and gardens. This fluffy-tailed mammal has been making mischief in the UK for a while now, overwhelming our native reds since being introduced here from North America in the late 19th century. Before the greys arrived, the UK was home to about 3.5 million reds; today, only 120,000–160,000 remain.

Reds have suffered at the paws of greys. Their larger, non-native cousins outcompete them for food and also carry the squirrel pox virus, which is often fatal to reds but not to greys. Scientists have worked to develop a vaccine to protect red squirrels from the disease, but inoculation isn’t much use when it comes to a ransacked larder.

Currently, attempts to control the grey squirrel population involve poisoning or trapping and shooting. But conservationists are exploring more humane ways of keeping their numbers in check. One idea is to use pine martens, which prey on squirrels. Research has shown that woodlands with higher numbers of pine martens host fewer greys and more reds; scientists think that the smaller reds can escape predation by perching on thinner branches that can’t support the weight of greys or martens. However, some conservationists are concerned that increased numbers of pine martens would have an impact on bird populations, too.

A proposal to suppress the grey squirrel population using a contraceptive has also received Government backing, but there are concerns that this approach wouldn’t be species-specific – that food laced with drugs could be consumed by other animals, too.

Clearly, current strategies are largely failing to control numbers of grey squirrels – aliens that cost the UK £40 million a year from damage to broadleaved forest. So eyes are turning to other methods.