The alarm has been raised by researchers at the Universities
of Turin, Genoa and Varese, in collaboration with
the University of Newcastle. The common European
squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) risks becoming extinct and disappearing from Italian and European woodlands due to
the introduction of an alien species from America, the
grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).

This species, emblematic of our woodlands and fond of their fruits,
plays a fundamental role in woodland regeneration: "In
years of heavy seed production – explains Sandro Bertolino,
an associate researcher at the University of Turin,
DIVAPRA
(Department of Exploitation and Protection of Environmental
Resources) – squirrels store part of the seeds they collect
from species such as hazel, beech, chestnut, Swiss stone pine and
Scots pine. Many of the cached seeds will be retrieved by the animals
in winter and spring, but some will be forgotten. The
seeds left in the ground will then have the chance to
germinate and give rise to a new plant."

And it is precisely the competition for food resources that
has almost caused the red squirrel's disappearance from the forests of Great Britain,
Wales and Scotland and from the woodlands of northern Italy. American grey
squirrels eat acorns in decidedly greater quantities
than red squirrels, and are able to find and consume
part of the seed stores that red squirrels lay down
for winter.

"It is difficult to give precise figures – Bertolino explains –
however, we can say that within the range of distribution between Turin
and Cuneo, from 2000 to 2010 the red squirrel disappeared from 60–70% of the woodlands where it was previously present and
where the grey squirrel is now found."

Yet another example of how human activity has brought about a
type of competition that would never have occurred in nature: "A
species is the unique result of an unrepeatable evolutionary process
– Bertolino continues – and is part of our
natural heritage. Allowing a species to become extinct is like
letting the Sistine Chapel or the Colosseum fall into ruin; we would all
be the poorer for it."

What solutions are there? Last July, the European
Union and the Ministry of the Environment allocated 2 million
euros, asking the regions of Lombardy, Liguria and Piedmont to eliminate
grey squirrels, starting from the Nervi Parks. According to
animal rights advocates, the methods available are, however, bloody and
"total". To contain the phenomenon, from January 2012, the
import of the grey squirrel into Europe was banned, and
an interministerial decree prohibiting the
trade and keeping of the grey squirrel in Italy is due to be issued.

As is often the case, ethics and science are in conflict. Sometimes,
however, solutions can be found: "In Genoa
Nervi – Bertolino explains – capture with
sterilisation will be employed: since it is a limited population, the animals
will be caught and sterilised, while ensuring their
safety and continued wellbeing until natural
death."

The issue nonetheless remains open, while the small rodent
with its flaming brush-like tail finds itself the only one
having to bear the consequences.