RED ARMY

MOD becomes unlikely supporter for rodent by targeting grey rivals

- DAN VEVERS

SCOTLAND'S native red squirrels have found a new base - an Army training centre.

A "red army" of the endangered species is thriving at the Kirkcudbright military estate in Dumfriesshire, with sightings roughly doubling in recent months.

The surge comes as army chiefs have rallied to the red squirrel cause with conservation efforts to reduce invasive grey squirrel numbers who spread disease to their red cousins.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), the government body that runs the base, has been working with local nature groups for two years to help red squirrels.

Twelve den boxes for pine martens were installed to encourage the predators to settle on the Ministry of Defence land.