THE Prince of Wales has ordered a cull of the destructive grey squirrel on his estate in a bid to protect the indigenous red variety, his spokesman has confirmed.
"Humane and lawful" measures to control the population of greys, which carry a poxvirus deadly to red squirrels, have been introduced on the Duchy of Cornwall estate.
The grey species, which were first brought over from America in 1876, are also "extremely destructive" in woodlands, stripping the bark from trees and causing a "major impact" on woodland conservation, according to the Forestry Commission.
Prince Charles is a patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust and a vocal advocate on its work to protect the rodent, whose future is increasingly uncertain.
A spokesman for Prince Charles said: "The red squirrel is a most cherished and iconic national species, and, as patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, The Prince of Wales keenly supports all efforts to conserve and promote their numbers.
"Where appropriate, this includes the humane and lawful control of grey squirrels as well as other measures to enhance the natural habitat of reds across the Duchy of Cornwall estate."
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