THREE rare red squirrel ‘kittens’ were found in a nest box on Brownsea Island by National Trust volunteers carrying out a routine autumn check.

Typically born in the spring but with a possibility of females having two litters in a good year, the birth of the baby squirrels is one of the latest recorded by volunteers.

Born blind and without hair or teeth, the kittens will stay nestled together until they are weaned at around ten weeks and ready to explore the outside world.

Brian Whitlock, National Trust volunteer at Brownsea Island said: “We don’t usually come across kittens so late in the season, and as soon as we realised they were there, made sure they were all safe and carefully closed the box. The kitten’s mother stayed above us in the tree throughout and returned to her young as soon as we had finished.

“We always take great care not to disturb anything we find in the boxes during these checks.

“We have 400 boxes in trees dotted around the island which are used by bats, birds and red squirrels for nesting, resting and hibernation.

“The boxes are there to support species which need a safe and secure home.

“We carefully check the boxes twice a year outside of the typical breeding season to see what has made the box their home, to monitor if they need repairing or replacing, or to clear out any materials that show it’s been abandoned.”

The UK population of red squirrels has dropped from a one time high of 3.5 million to under 140,000 compared to a current estimate of 2.5 million greys.

The reds have struggled due to the loss of habitats and the introduction of the American grey squirrel who carry the squirrelpox virus which can be deadly if transmitted to the reds.

Tim Hartley, lead ranger on Brownsea Island for the National Trust said: “The red squirrels on Brownsea are totally wild and it’s great to see the population making the most of the settled weather through late summer and now into the beginning of autumn this year.

“The squirrel population does fluctuate and we will not know quite how successful a year they have had until our rangers and volunteers do the annual squirrel census at the beginning of November.

“Of course this is the very best time to see squirrels on the Brownsea as they take advantage of the many tree species nuts and seeds we have on the Island, hoarding them for their winter stores.

“They start their winter moult around September when the more prominent ear tufts can be seen. While they try to put on extra weight for the winter months, the squirrels must also stay athletic enough to leap between trees.”

Brownsea, which lies in Poole Harbour, is a haven for wildlife and home to approximately 200 endangered mammals.

The island is part of the recently-designated Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve (NNR) – England’s first super NNR and the largest lowland heathland nature reserve in England.

For more information on Brownsea Island visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea To make a donation towards the conservation work carried out by the Trust, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donate