Parts of Dumfries and Galloway are a stronghold for native red squirrels. Over many decades at Orroland, we have created a perfect wildlife habitat, most notably red squirrels.
As a guest, you may spot red squirrels around the cottages and within the grounds. In fact, you will be unlucky not to see one when you walk around the estate.
We are very aware that our native squirrels are rare and under threat. We continue to invest in their protection at Orroland with a number of initiatives.
Habitat management and creation -the mixed woodland, wetland, wildflowers and natural seashore don’t just happen by magic. No month goes by without proactive work to create and maintain this environment to support all wildlife. We plant species that specifically support red squirrels, like Scots Pine.
Grey squirrel monitoring and control – the biggest threat to native red squirrels is from their invasive grey cousins. The greys carry a virus, which they are immune to but is deadly to reds. At Orroland, the team is always on the lookout for any grey squirrels. The photo on the left shows a Grey Squirrel Monitoring Station, which uses an AI-powered camera.
Limited feeding – red squirrels are wild animals and must rely on natural food. However, to maintain such a healthy population, we supplement this with a limited number of feeding stations. We provide natural food, like hazelnuts, especially during winter and their spring breeding season.
Supporting local conservation
Protecting red squirrels is a landscape-scale effort — it simply cannot be achieved by one estate or organisation alone. South West Scotland remains one of the species’ most important refuges, and we are committed to playing our part in safeguarding their future here in Dumfries and Galloway.
We are proud supporters of the Kirkcudbright Red Squirrel Group, with a share of every booking at Orroland helping to fund their essential conservation, monitoring and grey squirrel control work across the local area.
Abbotsway squirrel photoshoot
You may have noticed that amazing photo of a red squirrel outside Abbotsway Cottage. In these days of AI “fake images”, we can assure you that the photo is genuine.
In summer 2025, we set up a trap camera outside the cottage, pointing over the garden, a tree stump and a few hazelnuts. Within hours, we had the resulting photo.
You can view a short video of the squirrel at the bottom of this page.
Red squirrels in the private garden at Abbotsway Cottage
Red squirrel feeding in the garden at Abbotsway Cottage
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