If it is found alive the Sarnian Squirrel could be re-homed at a wildlife sanctuary in the UK.

Having first been spotted in the island last Monday, 24 February, it hasn’t been seen since last Friday, 28 February.

Traps set up to catch it haven’t been activated yet either.

Now, the States Vet has confirmed that if the squirrel is captured alive it will be taken to a sanctuary in the UK “if it can be repatriated”.

The squirrel sanctuary that has offered help is reported to be the Hitchin Squirrel Rescue in the UK. It is near Luton, north of London.

The sanctuary takes in injured or baby grey squirrels that have been found and makes sure they receive any required treatment including feeding, housing and professional medical care.

Grey squirrels can’t be released into the wild in the UK meaning the Hitchen sanctuary will keep any in its care throughout their life.

The States Vet said he has also received offers of support from other UK wildlife rescue organisations “so it is looking hopeful that (the squirrel) might be able to be safely returned to a more suitable environment”.

Squirrels are non-native to Guernsey, meaning its appearance has attracted some attention.

Nicknamed Elvis by staff at Blue Chip motors, it was spotted at their property on Grandes Maison Road, St Sampson’s, last Monday, having been seen escaping from the back of a Ferryspeed lorry as it unloaded a cargo of animal feed at its nearby depot earlier that day.

Liz Sweet, known as ‘The Guernsey Scientist’ pondered “is it really that bad that we’ve got a grey squirrel in Guernsey?”

“In a nutshell, yes,” she said.

She explained that the way grey squirrels have evolved means they can strip the bark off trees, killing them and damaging maize and fruit crops.

They can also pose a risk to native wildlife if they are carrying any diseases or parasites.

She said, even if Guernsey were to introduce red squirrels to the island’s open spaces, we don’t have enough woodland to sustain them so they would inevitably starve to death.

The Guernsey Scientist encouraged anyone who spots the grey squirrel to report it to the GSPCA.

The States Vet has asked people to not put food out for it, as this might delay efforts to catch and safely return it to “a more familiar environment in the company of its own species”, such as at the Hitchen Squirrel Rescue sanctuary.

“If you do spot the squirrel please don’t approach it, which could scare it away, but instead contact Guernsey Pest Management on 07781 102344,” said the States Vet.