Will Kellings newest squirrels go nuts for each other this Valentines weekend
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Normally at this time of year the talk is of love birds and puppy love, but conservation experts at Kelling Heath Holiday Park at Weybourne in North Norfolk are hoping for a different kind of animal attraction this Valentine’s Day – between a pair of rare red squirrels.
The adult male and female arrived on park earlier this year from two other members of the East Anglian Red Squirrel Group of which Kelling is a member. But with love yet to blossom, Countryside Manager, David Martin, hopes the most romantic date in the calendar will spur on the love-shy pair this weekend and lead to a litter of the little nibblers later this spring and summer.
He said: “We missed out on a litter last year, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that these two will be struck by Cupid’s arrow on the 14th and let nature take its course!” The park’s only new guests to arrive during the global pandemic have been brought to the Park following the sad passing of previous resident male Red, who produced several litters with his partner Ginger.
Mr Martin is also hoping people will come up with suitable names for the new couple, adding: “Romeo and Juliet are the obvious ones for the time of year. We also thought of Kim and Kanye and Posh and Becks, but we’re definitely open to suggestions!”
Kelling has successfully bred over 30 kittens since 1999 and is part of a programme within the East Anglian Red Squirrel group with kittens being successfully released at sites across the country including Anglesey, where they have gone onto successfully breed in the wild.
“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Kelling Heath, Mr Martin added, saying: “That’s why we do all we can to nurture endangered species in the hope that they flourish in years to come.”
Anyone with suggested names for the new couple should head over to Kelling Heath’s Facebook and Instagram and comment their suggestions.
