The Prince of Wales has reportedly backed a plan to sterilise grey squirrels by setting up traps containing Nutella laced with a contraceptive.
According to The Times, the plans were discussed at his royal residence Clarence House with members of the UK Squirrel Accord, an initiative he started three years ago to reduce numbers of the unpopular animal that’s devastated the native red squirrel population.
The Times reports that he likes the idea because it’s relatively humane – the plan isn’t to kill the squirrels, just render them infertile.
The scheme could reduce the UK’s 3.5 million-strong grey squirrel population by 90% if rolled out fully.
For now, a trial has been partially funded, with £39,000 coming from the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, and another £100,000 raised by Squirrel Accord members.
The contraceptive to be used in the trial is called GonaCon, and has been shown to work on goats and boar when injected.
Scientists have turned GonaCon into an oral contraceptive by enclosing it in grains of pollen which make it into the animal’s blood.
Using the much-loved chocolate spread as bait, squirrels would push open tiny doors too big for voles, mice or red squirrels to enter.
Grey squirrels are an invasive species that strip bark from trees making them more vulnerable to disease.
They’ve also been blamed for the decline in red squirrel numbers, which now stands at just 140,000. Grey squirrels are able to out-compete their cousins for food and shelter, and also spread squirrelpox, which kills red squirrels but doesn’t affect greys.
