A SCIENTIST is appealing to Hertfordshire residents to help her track the rare black squirrel.
It is a century since the native North American mammal was first spotted near Woburn, Beds, in 1912.
The Black Squirrel Project is part of a study being undertaken by Helen McRobie, a lecturer in the life sciences department at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.
She said: “Black squirrel numbers seem to have risen steadily over the years and they’ve been spotted in Herts and Cambs, as well as Beds.
“The aim of the project is to gather data on the geographical range of the grey and black squirrel in the British Isles and the data may help explain why the grey squirrel has proved to be such a successful invader in the UK.
“Therefore it would be great if as many people as possible can visit the website and submit their sightings.”
Sightings can be logged at www.blacksquirrel project.org.
