Red squirrels are recognisable by their red to russet coloured fur,  ear tufts that appear only in winter, long fluffy tails and the distinctive ‘chuk chuk’ noise they make. They are very shy and elusive and spend much of their time in the tree canopy. As they don‘t hibernate, red squirrels prepare for being less active in winter by storing up supplies of food in autumn. Numbers in the UK have fallen dramatically since grey squirrels were introduced as an ornamental species from America in the 1870s. A huge factor in their decline is the increasing loss of their woodland habitats  but road traffic and natural predators are all threats too.