Here's
Tricia's latest animated music video - different as always
and inspired by the harrowing death of a baby grey squirrel
who was caught in a trap. It's already getting strong engagement
and emotional reactions on YouTube, with some viewers comparing
it to "Watership Down". The song is performed by Ollie Rich,
a character from an animated series that Tricia is developing
called "The Nirvian Kings".
Grey squirrels are sentient beings. They love, laugh, feel
grief, and have families waiting for them to come home.
Save the greys!
If you appreciate it, please share. Independent artists -
and animal awareness causes, such as this one - rely hugely
on word of mouth.
GREY
SQUIRREL LIVES MATTER!
IN DEFENSE OF OUR BELOVED GREYS!
The
narrative vilifying grey squirrels as invasive threats to
red squirrels and UK ecosystems is rooted in misconceptions,
perpetuated by vested interests. Basically, murdering wildlife
is lucrative for wildlife management companies -- £200 a trap,
just as war is lucrative to the war machine. Hunters, wildlife
management companies, and even some red squirrel conservation
groups promote fallacies about grey squirrels, despite evidence
that challenges these claims. This narrative ignores the complexity
of ecological dynamics and unfairly scapegoats a species well-adapted
to modern British landscapes.
**Misconceptions About Squirrelpox Transmission**
The claim that grey squirrels are primarily responsible for
spreading squirrelpox virus to red squirrels is exaggerated
and manipulated for monetary gain. It’s always the same playbook
– vilify and turn everyone against the victim and then move
in for the kill. Think, Saddam Hussein and WMD’s. Research
indicates minimal recorded transmission between the two
species, largely because their populations rarely overlap
due to red squirrels’ isolation in specific habitats, such
as coniferous woodlands in Scotland and northern England (Sainsbury
et al., 2008). Instead, squirrelpox transmission is more prevalent
among red squirrels, particularly at shared feeders installed
by well-meaning conservationists (Chantrey et al., 2014).
Blaming grey squirrels oversimplifies a complex issue and
diverts attention from more effective conservation strategies.
**Habitat Loss and Traffic: The Real Threats to Red Squirrels**
The greatest threat to red squirrels is not grey squirrels
but humans -- habitat loss, particularly the decline of pine
woodlands, their preferred environment. (Gurnell et al., 2004).
If grey squirrels were eradicated, large areas of the UK,
especially suburban and deciduous woodlands would lack any
squirrel population, as red squirrels are poorly suited to
these environments. After habitat loss, road traffic is the
second-largest threat to red squirrels, causing significant
mortality. Culling grey squirrels, a lucrative practice
for wildlife management companies, distracts from addressing
these primary issues, which require long-term investment in
habitat restoration and wildlife-friendly infrastructure.
**Historical Context: Red Squirrels Are Not "Native" in a
Simplistic Sense**
The notion of red squirrels as the UK’s “native” species is
misleading. Red squirrels were nearly extirpated in the 18th
century due to hunting and habitat changes, necessitating
reintroductions from Scandinavia and Central Europe (Hale
et al., 2004; Harris et al., 2006). Genetic studies confirm
that most red squirrels in the UK today descend from these
introduced populations, not from an ancient British lineage
(Hale et al., 2004; O’Meara et al., 2018). Grey squirrels,
introduced in the 19th century, have been in the UK only slightly
later than these reintroduced red squirrels. Labelling grey
squirrels as “invasive” while ignoring the red squirrels’
history of reintroduction reveals a double standard in conservation
rhetoric.
**Grey Squirrels’ Ecological Contributions**
Far from being destructive, grey squirrels play a valuable
ecological role. Claims of significant damage to tree stocks
are overstated; the Forestry Commission estimates grey squirrels
cause only 5% of sapling loss, well below the 15% threshold
considered problematic (Forestry Commission, 2016). Conversely,
grey squirrels are prolific tree planters through scatter-hoarding,
with studies estimating that one grey squirrel’s seed-caching
activities can support forest regeneration equivalent to providing
oxygen for 28-40 people annually (Goheen & Swihart, 2003;
Steele et al., 2005; Hanrahan & Belair, 2015). These forests
provide habitat and food for countless species, enhancing
biodiversity.
**Hypocrisy in Wildlife Management**
The demonization of grey squirrels contrasts starkly with
the acceptance of other non-native species, such as the 50
million game birds (e.g., pheasants and partridges) released
annually for sport shooting (BASC, 2023). These introductions,
which dwarf the grey squirrel population, disrupt ecosystems
and compete with native wildlife, yet face little scrutiny.
This selective outrage highlights a hypocrisy driven by cultural
biases and economic interests rather than ecological
reasoning.
**Bird Predation: A Misleading Accusation**
Grey squirrels are often accused of raiding bird nests, but
studies show this behaviour is rare and less frequent in
grey squirrels than in red squirrels, with verified data
indicating grey squirrels are three times less likely to engage
in nest predation (Shuttleworth, 2001). Both species occasionally
consume eggs or chicks, but the impact on bird populations
is negligible compared to other factors like habitat loss
and predation by corvids or cats.
**Conclusion: A Call for Rational Conservation**
Culling grey squirrels in the name of red squirrel conservation
is a misguided effort that ignores ecological realities and
perpetuates an outdated narrative. Grey squirrels have adapted
to fill a niche in suburban and deciduous environments, contributing
to biodiversity through seed dispersal. Instead of scapegoating
them, conservation efforts should focus on restoring red squirrel
habitats, reducing road mortality, and addressing the inconsistencies
in how non-native species are managed. Embracing grey squirrels
as part of the UK’s modern ecosystem is not only ecologically
sound but also a step toward a more honest and effective approach
to wildlife conservation.
Tricia
was recently completely engrossed in all of the dastardly
goings on at the "Celebrity Traitors" castle. Alan Carr was
her favorite by far! And when Tricia was in Sky 1's Pineapple
Dance Studios she was Alan's favorite! So, right back atcha
Alan!!
Here
are a few more Tricia & Pineapple Dance Studios tweets...
Tricia has joined the Creative Well team as an ambassador for mental health & wellbeing in the performing arts!
"The
Creative Well is an international organisation that fully
understands the challenges of being creative, resilient, and
staying well in the performing arts industry. We are uniquely
able to support the mental health and wellbeing of those involved
in creating and performing across various disciplines such
as music, dance, theatre, and more. We use a multidisciplinary,
holistic and integrative approach to assess and personalise
plans for the individuals we collaborate with. We offer both
online and face-to-face contact and provide a safe space where
full self-expression is encouraged."
THE
WAY IS BEING PAVED FOR BOBBY & MR CENTAUR TO TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL
PLACE!
BLUEBELLS
FOR MAMA
Carol
Bartlett, Phil Greene and Charlie Ledger
Iconic
record producer/engineer, Phil Greene has written a country
song “Bluebells for Mama” with Tricia. Here he is in the studio
making a demo with singer Carol Bartlett and co-producer Charlie
Ledger.
In
case you missed it first time around here's
Tricia's blog that tells the story of her Dark Night of
the Soul, including the birth of Bobby Rich. A fascinating
story. Well worth a read!
After
the success of the recent documentary "Onnatachi"
which featured Tricia, TBS commissioned a follow-up - "Motenai"
which also stars our gal and aired on Tuesday the 18th at
8pm. We lurve you too Japan!!
Elaine
Stritch -- My New York Mom & Best Friend Forever
Click
on the pic above for Tricia's memories of her New York Mom (Article originally posted in 2013 and kept in tribute
to the late, great Ms Stritch.)
To the author of this tweet - Don't you believe it! Tricia
knows exactly what she's doing. The genius is that you genuinely
believe she doesn't know it (Admin).
Me too! (Admin).
What
the press said about Series 1 of Pineapple Dance Studios:
"If you are not watching it, you're missing
out" *****" Heat
"Camp, deluded, genius" *****" Grazia
"The cleverest thing on TV" The Guardian
"Surreal, addictive and hilarious" *****" Heat
"You've got to watch this show. Brilliant and original."
Radio 1
"The word of mouth hit of the year" The Daily Telegraph
