23 recognized, see text
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris ) is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Europe and Asia . The red squirrel is an arboreal , primarily herbivorous rodent .
In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers have decreased drastically in recent years. [3] This decline is associated with the introduction by humans of the eastern grey squirrel ( Sciurus carolinensis ) from North America . However, the population in Scotland is stabilising [4] due to conservation efforts, awareness and the increasing population of the pine marten , a European predator that selectively controls grey squirrels. [5] [6]