In a first of its kind study, researchers have identified significant differences between the diversity of gut bacteria in gray squirrels compared to red squirrels which could hold the key to further understanding the ability of gray squirrels to outcompete red squirrels in the UK.

New research, published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, looked to understand more about the mechanisms by which gray squirrels are able to gain an advantage over red squirrels. Chris Nichols, Conservation Evidence Manager at the Woodland Trust, and co-author of the study, said,

“The more we know about gray squirrels, the more equipped we’re going to be in the future to tackle the threats they pose to red squirrels and our native trees, which is one of the biggest problems for forest conservation in the UK.”