THE RED squirrel, thought to have been close to extinction in Kilkenny, is making a comeback. Several pairs of the native Irish species have been spotted at the Woodstock arboretum and gardens in Inistioge.
There has also been a steep decline in the number of grey squirrels in Kilkenny city and county, specifically at Castle Park. The grey squirrels are in direct competition with their red-coloured cousins, which are native to this country.
The decrease in greys may be due to the presence of pine martens and the claim, as yet unsubstantiated, that traps set somewhere on the Canal Walk, adjacent to the Castle Park, earlier this year killed 75 of the greys.
Grey squirrels are more vulnerable to martens because they spend more time on the ground than the red squirrel, where pine martens find them easier to catch.
Pine martens are members of the weasel family and are the same size as the average domestic cat. They are mainly meat eaters, often helping to contain rat populations.
This is the first summer in many years that the grey squirrels have not been seen foraging through rubbish bins in Kilkenny city centre, or around the park looking for edibles thrown away by tourists and picnickers.