Rope bridge offers squirrels safe crossing Published duration 7 August 2018

image copyright Trees for Life image caption The rope bridge and, in the left bottom corner of the image, a squirrel at the crossing

A rope bridge slung between trees high over a Highlands road is giving red squirrels a safe crossing, according to a conservation charity.

Trees for Life installed the bridge over a road near Shieldaig last summer, as part of a reintroduction of red squirrels to the north west Highlands.

The rope bridge allows squirrels to move from different parts of woodland without going on to the road.

Camera trap footage taken over a year reveals it is being used.

Becky Priestley, Trees for Life's wildlife officer, said: "Sadly, road traffic is a major risk for wildlife - including red squirrels.

"We wanted to take positive action to help the red squirrel population spread into the local woodlands as safely as possible.

"The combination of bridge and road signs definitely appears to be working well, which is great news."

image caption Squirrels use the rope bridge to reach different parts of woodland

Local climber Chris Hingley worked with the charity to install the bridge in June last year, with support from Highland Council. Kinloch Woodlands SCIO and Ben Shieldaig Estate, owners of the land on either side of the road.

Ms Priestley said: "It's safer for reds to travel in the tree canopy rather than on the ground, so it's likely that if they have the option of using a bridge rather than crossing the road, they will take it.

"We also installed feeders at each end of the bridge to encourage the squirrels to use it."