Kew Gardens criticised for killing 400 squirrels

Grey squirrel; photograph Jon Perry

Urban Squirrels charity says Kew Gardens carried out the cull without having any idea of the size of the squirrel population, and at the height of the baby season

Kew Gardens has reinstated its policy of culling grey squirrels. The Royal Botanic Gardens had 400 squirrels killed in April and May of this year.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to one of the most diverse and important living plant collections in the world, they consider it necessary to reduce the numbers of squirrels because of the damage they do to trees, but the Urban Squirrels charity, which specialises in the rescue, rehabilitation and welfare of squirrels, is critical of the way they carried out the cull.

They have established, by submitting a Freedom of Information request, that no numerical estimate of the squirrel population was made before the cull, no specific target was set, and Kew Gardens could not produce a comprehensive quantified dataset of squirrel damage to justify the cull.

Moreover, they criticise the timing:

‘Kew Gardens killed 400 grey squirrels during April and May 2026. At the height of the baby season, too, killing lactating mothers and leaving babies to slowly starve in the nests’.

The charity believes these disclosures raise important questions about ‘transparency, proportionality and evidence-based wildlife management in publicly funded institutions’ and deserve public scrutiny.

Aerial view of Kew Gardens; photograph RBG

Royal Botanic Gardens says the severity of grey squirrel damage resulted in the loss of young and semi-mature trees

In their response to the Freedom of Information request, Kew Gardens confirmed number of squirrels killed and the dates of the cull, and explained as background:

‘We have taken many steps to discourage grey squirrel activity across Kew, including securing all bins, covering open refuse skips and removing bird feeders. Despite this, numbers continue to increase at a significant rate, causing an increasing amount of irreparable damage.

‘Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an active squirrel management programme was in place across the site. This programme ceased during the pandemic and was not reinstated afterwards, resulting in a significant increase in squirrel-related damage to both the tree collections and the native semi-natural woodland at Kew.

‘The damage included extensive bark stripping, which led to the death of large-diameter branches and created a safety risk for visitors to the Gardens. In addition, the severity of grey squirrel damage resulted in the loss of young and semi-mature trees’.

They added this comment about the severity of the damage inflicted by the squirrels:

‘The contractor currently undertaking the work has commented that the level of squirrel related damage observed at Kew Gardens is among the most severe they have encountered’.

However, they also confirmed that no quantitative population estimate was recorded prior to the restart of control in April 2026.

‘Assessment was derived from regular visual observations and evidence of tree and habitat damage, rather than numerical counts’.

And they confirmed they did not have a specific target in mind for an acceptable number of squirrels in the Gardens.

A Spokesperson for Kew Gardens told The Chiswick Calendar the cull aligned with a national approach to grey squirrel control, ‘reflecting the recognised impact of this invasive non-native species on trees and woodland resilience across the UK.

‘This approach is consistent with Forestry Commission guidance on managing grey squirrels … and with the UK Government’s classification of the grey squirrel as an invasive non‑native species under the Invasive Alien Species framework.

‘Both support proportionate control where necessary to protect trees, biodiversity, and nationally important collections’.

They made no comment on the lack of a numerical estimate of the squirrel population or lack of specific target for the cull, but concerning the timing of it, said:

‘The latest cull was undertaken during April and May, following guidance from the Forestry Commission which states that Squirrel trapping is best undertaken during late winter, spring, and early summer. We have ceased this activity at this time’.