King Charles III Braves the Heatwave to Champion the Red Squirrel

King Charles III visited a government testing center in York, northern England, to see research aimed at controlling the spread of gray squirrels through oral contraceptives. The visit took place during a heatwave affecting the United Kingdom and parts of northern Europe, as the 77-year-old monarch toured the Animal and Plant Health Agency, which focuses on animal and plant health surveillance and protection.

The project, described by scientists as a humane way to manage the invasive gray squirrel population, is part of a pilot program that uses oral contraceptives delivered through feeding stations. Gray squirrels were introduced to the United Kingdom from North America in the late 19th century and have since spread widely, overtaking native red squirrels in many areas. The pilot was announced in 2022, and the first tests have only recently begun.

During the visit, Dr. Julie Lane, who heads the National Wildlife Management Centre at the agency, told the king that the work would not exist without his support. She also praised his long-standing commitment to protecting red squirrels, a species he has supported for years.

Charles III has been a patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, a British organization dedicated to conserving the native species. According to reports in The Times in late April, the monarch also made a generous donation to the group. His interest in red squirrels has been widely noted over the years, including by his son, Prince William, who said in a 2018 interview that Charles used to give names to squirrels living near his Balmoral estate in Scotland.

The king’s support for red squirrel conservation has also appeared in public moments before. In 2021, he was photographed with a large plush toy modeled after a red squirrel, underlining his personal attachment to the species and to wildlife causes more broadly.

Government figures suggest that only between 120,000 and 160,000 red squirrels remain in the United Kingdom, with most found in Scotland. By contrast, the country is home to about 2.7 million gray squirrels. Red squirrels are smaller and more delicate than their gray counterparts and also require more space per individual, making them especially vulnerable to competition from the invasive species.

The York visit highlighted both the scientific and symbolic sides of Britain’s efforts to protect its native red squirrel population. It also reflected the king’s broader interest in biodiversity and conservation, as researchers continue exploring new methods to reduce the impact of gray squirrels on the country’s ecosystems.