BUSINESSES in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are being given the chance to help look after endangered red squirrels.

From this month, local entrepreneurs are being invited to sponsor a feeder set up at a special red squirrel viewpoint at Snaizeholme, near Hawes.

The viewing area lies in the heart of the Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve and was created by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and the local landowner to allow people to watch the animals as they feed in their natural habitat.

The Yorkshire Dales is widely recognised as an important habitat for red squirrels – the only native species of squirrel.

Red squirrels are restricted to the north western area of the National Park and it is this area that provides the front line between the reds and the greys in Northern England.

The first business people to take up the offer are Neil and Jane McNair, who run Low Mill Guest House in Bainbridge.

Neil said: “We loved being able to see the red squirrels at the special viewing area and we know it’s something many of our guests will enjoy having the chance to do too.”

Anyone who would like to join the sponsorship scheme can email tourism@yorkshiredales.org.uk or phone 01756 751650.

In further good news for the red squirrel population of the Yorkshire Dales, concerned residents in Garsdale have formed a group to save the creatures.

Garsdale - one of the last remaining strongholds in the UK for the red squirrel - is threatened by invasive grey squirrels and by an almost total loss of the coniferous woodland in the dale within a five year period.

The launch event of the Garsdale Red Squirrels saw a roomful of locals enjoy presentations from Westmorland Red Squirrel Society, Red Squirrels Northern England, The Yorkshire Dales National Park and Birds Bistro.

The group is working to humanely control grey squirrels in the area and contact landowners to ask if felling of conifer trees can be performed in a ‘greener’ way.

It is volunteering to advise landowners of examples of better practice, and funding available to support this.

The red squirrel is classed as an endangered species and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and Garsdale is an official ‘Red Squirrel Reserve'.

Garsdale Red Squirrels welcome new members or offers of help. More information can be found at www.garsdaleredsquirrels.org.uk.