Yes. The Isle of Wight has red squirrels, and only red squirrels: there are no grey squirrels on the island. The Solent stops greys reaching it, which has made the island one of the last places in southern England where reds still live wild. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust calls it a "critical stronghold", and you have a good chance of seeing one at a squirrel hide or in the island's woods.
Why there are no grey squirrelsSection titled Why there are no grey squirrels
Grey squirrels were brought to Britain from North America and have replaced reds across most of England. On the mainland they win in two ways:
- Competition. Greys outcompete reds for food and territory.
- Disease. Greys carry squirrelpox. The Wight Squirrel Project says about 70% of greys carry the virus without becoming ill, but reds catch it and die, and an outbreak can kill 90% of a red population. The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust says reds usually disappear from an area about 15 years after the first grey arrives.
The island escaped because the Solent is a sea barrier and there is no bridge or tunnel to the mainland (see is there a bridge to the Isle of Wight?). Greys cannot get across by themselves.
That doesn't mean one has never arrived. The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust says the odd grey has found its way onto the island in the past, and those incursions were dealt with quickly. The Wight Squirrel Project keeps contingency plans for any new arrival, and its volunteer monitoring is partly there to spot greys early.
It is illegal to bring one over. Grey squirrels have been listed as an invasive non-native species since August 2016, and GOV.UK says you must not release one, keep one, or transport one within the UK. Penalties run up to two years in prison.
How many red squirrels are there?Section titled How many red squirrels are there?
Helen Butler, who founded the Wight Squirrel Project, has monitored the island's reds since 1991. The project says the woodland can support around 3,500 squirrels at their peak. Numbers swing from year to year with the autumn crop of nuts and seeds.
They are not safe just because there are no greys. The Wildlife Trust names road deaths and the loss and fragmentation of woodland as the main threats, and has laid new hedges between Newchurch Moors and Alverstone Mead so squirrels can move between woods without crossing open ground. In June 2025 the Wight Squirrel Project reported that spring sightings and road casualties were both well down, and asked islanders to report what they see.
Elsewhere in England, reds survive only in a few isolated places. The Wildlife Trusts list Formby, Anglesey, Brownsea Island and the Isle of Wight as the remnant populations in the south and west, with the main populations in Scotland, the Lake District and Northumberland.
Where to see red squirrelsSection titled Where to see red squirrels
Reds can turn up almost anywhere with trees, including gardens, parks and cemeteries. These are the most reliable places to start.
Alverstone Mead, near SandownSection titled Alverstone Mead, near Sandown
The Wildlife Trust's 28-hectare reserve beside the Eastern Yar has a squirrel hide reached by a raised walkway under the trees, open all year. The Trust says reds can be seen around the hide throughout the year and asks visitors not to feed them.
- Where: Burnt House Lane, Alverstone, PO36 0HB, about a mile from Sandown.
- Parking: none on Burnt House Lane or in the reserve; there is limited on-street parking on nearby roads.
- Bus: route 8 to Winford, then about a 22-minute walk.
- Paths: boardwalks and unsurfaced paths with gentle slopes; low parts flood in winter, and there are kissing gates and stiles. Dogs must be on a lead.
Parkhurst Forest, near NewportSection titled Parkhurst Forest, near Newport
Gift to Nature runs a Red Squirrel Hide in Parkhurst Forest, with a sheltered viewing area and feeding stations stocked through its Nuts to Squirrels appeal. The forest is about half a mile north-west of Newport off the A3054 (Forest Road), postcode PO30 5UL. Forestry England says it is open 24 hours a day, every day, and dogs are welcome.
Other good woodsSection titled Other good woods
- Gift to Nature sites: Sandown Community Orchard, Dodnor Creek and Dicksons Copse, Batts Copse, and the Landslip at Bonchurch.
- Wight Squirrel Project suggestions: Shanklin Chine, Borthwood Copse, Quarr, the Newport to Cowes cycle track, Binstead Wood and Firestone Copse.
The Newport to Cowes cycle track is flat and easy to combine with a day in Cowes. For longer walks through squirrel country, see can you walk around the Isle of Wight?
Tips for spotting themSection titled Tips for spotting them
- Go early or late. Gift to Nature and the Wight Squirrel Project both say activity peaks at dawn and dusk all year.
- Autumn is good. The Wildlife Trust says reds are most active then, when they are collecting and burying nuts.
- Expect quiet feeders in late summer. Gift to Nature says squirrels usually stop visiting feeders around the start of August, when there is plenty of natural food, and come back later.
- Look up. Reds are solitary and spend most of their time high in the canopy, coming down mainly for food.
- Keep still and quiet, and avoid the busiest dog-walking times.
Red or grey? Reds are smaller, with red-brown fur, a pale belly, a bushy tail and large ear tufts. Individual reds vary in coat colour and tail markings, so if a squirrel looks odd, report it anyway.
How to report a sightingSection titled How to report a sighting
The Wight Squirrel Project collects sightings of live and dead squirrels to track the population:
- Online at wightsquirrels.co.uk, using the sightings form or the Epicollect5 app
- Email: wightsquirrels@hotmail.com
- Phone: 01983 611003
If you think you've seen a grey, phone 01983 611003 straight away. Send a photo if you can, or describe its build, ears, tail and size, and say exactly where it was.
Our verdictSection titled Our verdict
Yes, there are red squirrels on the Isle of Wight, and with no greys on the island they are the only squirrel you will see. For the best chance, sit quietly in the hide at Alverstone Mead or Parkhurst Forest early in the morning, especially in autumn. If you're planning a day around it, Alverstone is close to the Sandown beaches.
SourcesSection titled Sources
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Red squirrels, a native treasure (November 2024)
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Alverstone Mead nature reserve (checked October 2026)
- The Wildlife Trusts: Red squirrel (checked October 2026)
- Wight Squirrel Project: red squirrel facts (checked October 2026)
- UK Squirrel Accord: The not-so-secret red squirrel island, compiled by the Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust
- Gift to Nature: Nuts to Squirrels (checked October 2026)
- Forestry England: Parkhurst Forest (checked October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Invasive non-native (alien) animal species, rules in England and Wales (checked October 2026)
- Isle of Wight Observer: Red squirrel numbers fall as spring sightings drop (June 2025)
- Isle of Wight Observer: Citizen science project to help save our red squirrels (April 2020)
- OnTheWight: Wight Squirrel Project invites woodland walkers for red squirrel monitoring (September 2023)
