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Red squirrel rescue
A Northumberland pensioner has sunk his hard earned savings into a publishing project aimed at saving the red squirrel.
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Retired highways engineer Ernie Gordon has spent much time and money researching, writing and publishing “The Adventures of Rusty Redcoat”, volume one of which was launched on November 16.
Ernie’s book, an exciting adventure tale aimed at pre-teenage children, is part of what he describes as his main mission in life: to draw attention to the plight of the red squirrel.
His project has the support of the Duchess of Northumberland. |
Wallsend-born Ernie, 74, has devoted much of the past twelve years to filming, photographing and studying the lives of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in woodlands near to his home in Alnwick.
According to the Forestry Commission, there are estimated to be only 140,000 reds in Britain compared to approximately 2.5 million grey squirrels.
“The English greys carry the dreaded parapox disease which is lethal to the reds,” said Ernie. “And if the diseased greys’ population keeps on expanding at the current rate, the effect on the remaining red squirrel colonies will be devastating; they could be wiped out.
“I hope my book will help establish an affinity between children and the red squirrel and create an awareness that, unless something pretty dramatic is done to reverse the declining red population, a beautiful part of their heritage will be lost forever.”
The book is going on sale in Waterstone's nationally; Alnwick’s post office, the Lions bookshop, and Freckles in Fenkle Street, independent book stores in Morpeth and The Bookworm in Amble.
To help promote it, Ernie and a friend Colin Storey have produced a DVD featuring footage of red squirrels. The DVD also includes Ernie playing “The Squirrel in the Tree” on his harmonica.
Footage from the DVD and further information about the book and Ernie’s campaign to publicise the plight of red squirrels is available on his web site, www.rustyredcoat.com
Colin Heathcote
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