Members of the public are being encouraged to take part in the 2026 All-Ireland Squirrel and Pine Marten Survey .

The survey is being officially launched today (Wednesday, January 21) to celebrate Red Squirrel appreciation day.

Led by researchers in University of Galway, Ulster Wildlife and the Vincent Wildlife Trust, the survey aims to map the latest distribution of red and grey squirrels, and the pine marten across the island of Ireland.

The initiative invites the public to become citizen scientists and help track some of Ireland's most iconic woodland mammals.

Survey

Participants are asked to record their sightings of the three species throughout 2026, which will help researchers build a detailed picture of how their populations are changing.

This year's survey is being delivered with the support of the National Biodiversity Data Centre in the Republic of Ireland and CEDaR in Northern Ireland.

The survey is part of a long-running monitoring programme, with previous surveys carried out on four occasions since 1997, providing vital insights into long-term trends and conservation success.

During the last survey, researchers received 3,407 records of the three species from the public.

The red squirrel is Ireland’s only native squirrel species and was once widespread in forests and wooded areas.

The introduction of the grey squirrel in 1911 had devastating consequences on the native species through disease and competition for food.

This resulted in the disappearance of red squirrels from large parts of the country.

However, recent surveys have revealed an unexpected turnaround, with the grey squirrel being knocked back in certain areas, and the reds showing signs of recovery.

Researchers have attributed this turnaround to the successful comeback of another native species, the pine marten.

The tree dwelling carnivores are one of the few predators that can successfully hunt grey squirrels.

Research

Dr Colin Lawton of University of Galway’s school of natural sciences said that the new survey will play a significant role in the research on these species.

"However, the dynamics between the three species is finely balanced and we need to continue to monitor the animals to make sure things don’t change again.

"The greys continue to spread in the south and northwest, and they are doing particularly well in urban areas, where pine martens are very rare," he said.

Katy Bell, senior conservation officer at Ulster Wildlife, added: “Ulster Wildlife has been monitoring these three species for over a decade in Northern Ireland and is delighted to partner once again with the University of Galway to complete the picture on how these species are faring across Ireland."

"This data will be invaluable to the conservation work for red squirrel and pine marten in Ireland," she said.