'Slow down' plea as red squirrel is nursed following accident on Wester Ross road at Leckmelm near Ullapool
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THE plight of a red squirrel apparently clipped by a car on a stretch of road near Ullapool has been highlighted in a bid to encourage motorists to slow down.
Ullapool Sea Savers have become well known for highlighting the importance of the marine environment on their doorstep.
Before the group of young campaigners shot to prominence through their work cleaning beaches and lay-bys of litter and acting as ambassadors for creatures and plant life of the sea, they drew attention to the plight of red squirrels reintroduced to the area.
A successful campaign saw them get road signs erected in a bid to prevent the red squirrels getting run over outside of Ullapool.
The effort has had an impact in reducing the number of incidents though a number do still get hit, especially around the Leckmelm stretch of the road. This is an area where they cross over to feed and forage on the loch side of the road.
One apparently clipped earleir this week was was found on the side of the road by the owners of the chalets and taken in before being passed over to Noel Hawkins from Living Seas, who is looking after it.
The group said it has come around a lot and been seen by a vet but is still not 100 per cent.
It said: "Please take care when driving in and out of Ullapool - the bends by the Leckmelm all the way south to the bend past the Leckmelm Chalets are the worst areas but if you slow down just a little you might get to see them and hopefully not hit one.
"They really are very special and quite rare elsewhere in the UK so we want to look after ours."
Four years ago, the SOS (Save Our Squirrels) appeal reached thousands of passengers using a Wester Ross ferry link thanks to the efforts of Ullapool schoolchildren concerned about the welfare of the bushy tailed charmers.
Primary schoolchildren devised posters asking drivers to slow down south of Ullapool following the death of two in a single week on the road.
Traffic Scotland backed the pupils by putting out warning signs and Caledonian MacBrayne has got on board with the effort, inviting some of the children to put up their posters appealing to drivers disembarking at Ullapool to take heed.
Related: Ullapool pupils SOS (Save Our Squirrels) reaches thousands
Squirrel spotters sought as part of Highland project
Squirrels find a new friend in Ross MSP
