You might take pity on the creature above should you see him or her out and about not hibernating. Not only do they face the cold but they also are under threat from a government funded scheme to have them shot. Prizes are being awarded to gun clubs who shoot most of the alien grey squirrel according to a report in Wednesday’s Irish Times.

€6,500 is the total prize fund being offered to protect the native red squirrel by giving prizes to shooters who compete in the cull. 1,364 squirrells were killed, bushy tails presented and it works out about about €4.76 per head. No idea how much a dent does that make in the grey squirrel population or if any reds were killed in error. Arrangements are being put in place for a cull in 2010. No idea on how many trees were saved either. (For policy wonks – There is a government report on squirrels and management of the population but the link is not working at the moment.)