TO help raise awareness of British red squirrels on various digital platforms, the Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) is collaborating with Dani Connor – a young British zoologist and wildlife photographer who has gained viral social media success with her red squirrel documentary films.

The trust aims to protect the few remaining native red squirrels in the UK – estimated to be well below 287,000 – and reverse the decline in numbers which may otherwise see their extinction in as little as a decade in England. As their ambassador, Dani will be telling the story of the British red squirrel through a series of short YouTube videos, starting with some filming on location in Cumbria this summer.

Known as Dani Connor Wild on social media, she is the only zoologist to date to document the lives of red squirrels from such an intimate vantage point. Her videos, filmed during a four-month stay in Sweden last year, garnered her a strong social media following.

READ MORE: Scottish forests could act as 'protective forts' for red squirrels

A 15-second video of a baby squirrel eating sunflower seeds right next to her camera microphone shows not only what a baby red squirrel sounds like when eating, but also how red squirrels can learn to trust humans – and even enjoy interacting with them.

This video went viral on social media, receiving 16.6 million views on Twitter.

This type of exposure is vital to help save the UK’s only native squirrel from extinction, said Mark Henderson of the RSST. “Dani will be an extraordinary asset to red squirrel conservation efforts within the UK, and we are so excited for this new collaboration with her.

"Increasingly, social media is being used to share important messages and causes now, particularly with younger generations, and already Dani has demonstrated her incredible grasp of both conservation and digital media. She will be a wonderful way for us to engage new and larger audiences in the plight of the iconic species in our own country.”

Dani commented: "I am thrilled to become an ambassador for the RSST. Much of my work over the past year has focused on red squirrels - I was living in Sweden and had red squirrels on my doorstep. I fell completely in love with them!

"Returning to London, I missed the red squirrels, and I didn't realise how difficult it was to see them in the UK. I am extremely excited to collaborate with RSST and showcase the story of the red squirrel in the UK and focus on the amazing conservation efforts to save this charismatic species."

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