The black squirrel: enhancing public understanding and engagement in science
Submitting Institution
Anglia Ruskin UniversityUnit of Assessment
Biological SciencesSummary Impact Type
SocietalResearch Subject Area(s)
Biological Sciences: Genetics
Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies
Summary of the impact
Two areas of impact are described:
(i) Impact associated with increased national and international public
understanding of science via extensive national and international media
coverage and the development of an interactive website (www.blacksquirrelproject.org),
designed to engage members of the public and to explain genetic concepts.
Media exposure has reached an estimated 45 million people in the UK alone.
(ii) Impact associated with increased public participation in science
(`citizen science') by seeking the involvement of the public to use the
interactive website to report on squirrel populations, thus providing a
research tool to generate data and to inform the public.
Underpinning research
The underpinning research for this case study concerns the biochemical
and genetic basis of melanism in the grey squirrel (Sciurus
carolinensis), which was introduced into Great Britain from North
America in the late nineteenth century. Melanic (black) variants of the
grey squirrel are common in their native habitat, but the first sighting
reported in Britain was in the early twentieth century. These black
squirrels, now a common sight in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and
Hertfordshire, live in mixed populations with the grey squirrels.
This programme of work was initiated at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in
2005 by Dr Alison Thomas (Senior Lecturer 1996-present) and Dr Sheila
Pankhurst (Principal Lecturer 1996-present), and was continued by Helen
McRobie (Senior Lecturer 2010-present, and previously a PhD student at
ARU, supervised by Thomas). These authors hypothesised that the
melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) was a likely candidate for differences in
pigmentation. They went on to sequence the extension locus (E),
which encodes MC1R, in black, grey and brown-black squirrel
sub-populations, identifying a 24 base pair deletion that correlated with
a melanic phenotype, and proving their theory. They also showed that this
genetic difference is incompletely dominant. Homozygous wildtype (E+/+)
squirrels are grey, whilst homozygous mutant (EB/B)
squirrels are black and heterozygotes (E+/B) are
brown-black. Research on the MC1R was extended to characterise,
structurally and pharmacologically, the wildtype and mutant versions of
the receptor.
Further work aimed to establish whether the origin of this variant of the
black squirrel was in Britain. Samples of melanic grey squirrel DNA were
obtained from Britain and North America and the gene sequences compared,
to establish if EB was a novel mutation indigenous to
the British Isles or whether the melanic variant had been introduced from
North America as well. This study proved the latter. Research on melanism
in squirrels was subsequently extended to two other species, the North
American fox squirrel and Eurasian red squirrel (in collaboration,
respectively, with Dr Nancy Moncrief from Virginia Natural History Museum
in the USA, and Dr Cristina Fanutti from the University of East Anglia).
Unlike the grey squirrel, no association between sequence variation in the
MC1R and melanism was found in these two species. This work has recently
been submitted for publication in the Journal of Heredity.
To complement the molecular data analysis, a `citizen science' project
was established to monitor the spread of the black squirrel across the
British Isles. A public-access website was established by McRobie in 2011
("The Black Squirrel Project") to enable members of the public to record
sightings of black, grey and red squirrels on an electronic map of the
British Isles. The website was launched by McRobie in 2012 on BBC1's "The
One Show", in collaboration with the NERC/Defra Biological Records Centre.
Subsequent extensive national media coverage has publicised the website
and encouraged public participation. By this means, the researchers have
generated data that documents the spread of the black squirrel in the
British Isles. Once finalised, these data will be submitted for
publication in an academic journal.
References to the research
1. McRobie, H., Thomas, A., Kelly, J., 2009. The genetic basis of
melanism in the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Journal
of Heredity, 100 (6), pp.709-714. doi: 10.1093/jhered/esp059
This reference is to a paper published in an internationally recognised
journal that has a rigorous peer-review process.
Details of the impact
The impact from this work is divided into two areas:
i) enhancement of the public understanding of genetics and stimulation of
public debate
ii) increased public participation in science.
The main beneficiaries of this research are members of the public, with
school-age children in particular being targeted.
i) Enhancing the public understanding of genetics
The grey squirrel is a controversial and a charismatic species which is
familiar to the general public. The underlying genetics revealed by the
research is a new "text book" case of incomplete dominance, and has proved
to be an interesting and accessible example for the public to understand.
Indeed this example has been used in a recently published undergraduate
genetics text book written by Thomas [6].
This research has been followed enthusiastically by the media, locally
and nationally. This began with the publication of an article by Thomas in
a local wildlife magazine in 2005 [7], while subsequent press releases
issued by ARU in April 2008 and January 2012 led to renewed and
significant media interest in the findings.
McRobie was first invited to appear in BBC1's `The One Show' in 2008 to
explain the genetic basis of melanism in squirrels, and has since featured
in numerous television and radio broadcasts explaining genetics to a wide
audience [1, 2]. Television appearances include BBC1's `Countryfile'
(22/03/09 and 13/01/12, approximately 7 million viewers each), `The One
Show' (14/05/08, 30/01/12 and 05/03/13, approximately 5 million viewers
each), `Inside Out' (21/01/09) and `Breakfast' programme (15/10/10).
McRobie was also interviewed for BBC Radio 4's `Shared Earth' and
`Material World' programmes (03/03/11). Local television and radio
interviews have included BBC1's `Look East' and ITV's `Anglia News' (four
appearances each, 2008-2013) and `Gulf Radio Services', broadcasting to
armed forces in the Persian Gulf (27 and 29/02/12).
Coverage of the research has also appeared in the national press
including The Times (26/4/08 and 31/01/12), The Sunday Times
(27/4/08), The Daily Express (26/4/08), The Daily Telegraph
(26/4/08 and 31/1/12), The Daily Mail (26/4/08 and 01/02/12), and
The Week (11/02/12). Finally, many national and international
websites (including American, Russian, Romanian and Indian websites) have
included articles on the genetics of the black squirrels [8].
Combined media exposure across these sources has reached several million
people [1, 2], with an estimated 45 million individual viewings (some of
these will be repeat viewings by the same people), contributing to a wider
understanding of genetic concepts. This exposure has also publicised the
project website at www.blacksquirrelproject.org
[3] which contains accessible explanations of the genetics and underlying
molecular biology of squirrel hair pigmentation. Additionally, the media
exposure has engaged and stimulated debate with the public, which can be
seen from the numerous independent websites with discussion forums and
blogs that follow black squirrel work [9]. Many of these reference ARU and
www.blacksquirrelproject.org.
The public understanding of genetics has been further enhanced by
outreach work, such as exhibitions and talks. McRobie has curated
exhibitions for the Cambridge Natural History Society's (CNHS)
Conversazione (12-14/06/09) [4] and the University of Cambridge's Science
Festival (14-27/03/11) [5]. McRobie has also given invited talks on the
genetics of black squirrels to local wildlife groups: for example, CNHS
(11/09) [4] and Ely's Natural History Society (2009).
An important strand of the impact has been specifically on
schoolchildren, whose engagement with and understanding of genetics has
been enhanced. This was initiated in 2008 with Thomas's article for Biological
Sciences Review [10], a magazine aimed at sixth formers. McRobie has
also become active in presenting the fundamentals of genetics to
schoolchildren. She appeared on BBC1's children's programme `Newsround'
where she was interviewed by children on the genetics of black and grey
squirrels (08/10/10). She also spoke at primary schools during Science
Week in Cambridge (18/03/09 and 17/03/10) and delivered a lecture to
secondary school pupils at an event hosted by Cambridge University as part
of the `Aimhigher' initiative (04/03/09). Her appearance on `The One Show'
(2012), as discussed above, was also the starting point for a genetics
lesson at Comberton Village College, Cambridgeshire for 12 year olds
(2012).
(ii) Public participation in science
The Black Squirrel Project, launched on BBC1's `The One Show' [1], has
been widely advertised through television, radio, newspaper, magazine and
internet coverage. The website for the project, www.blacksquirrelproject.org
[3], was created firstly to inform members of the public about the
genetics of melanism in squirrels, and secondly, to enable members of the
public to record and comment on sightings of black, grey and red squirrels
in the British Isles.
The website is an interactive, public-access tool for data generation on
squirrel sub-population dynamics and also provides the public with
accessible information. The website has received approximately 140,000
visits and more than 5,600 squirrel sightings have been recorded. In
addition, more than 300 emails have been received via the website,
including some from members of the public in the USA, Germany and France
[3]. This demonstrates the public participation and impact achieved by
this research, across a wide range of age groups and communities both
nationally and internationally.
Sources to corroborate the impact
[1] Series Producer, `The One Show' (BBC One)
[2] Researcher, `Countryfile' (BBC One)
[3] Managing Director, Cambridge IT Consultants Ltd (website developer
for the public-access website, www.blacksquirrelproject.org)
[4] Vice-President, Cambridge Natural History Society
[5] Science Festival Co-ordinator, University of Cambridge
[6] Thomas, A., 2013. Thrive in Genetics. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, p.39. Available from HEI on request.
[7] Thomas, A. and Pankhurst, S. 2005. The Black Squirrels of
Cambridgeshire. Nature in Cambridgeshire, 46: 61. Available from
HEI on request.
[8] List of national and international websites corroborating the impact:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/16789326
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16829257
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11444893
http://www.countryfile.com/news/britains-unknown-fourth-squirrel-brunette
http://wildmaryland101.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/maryland-weird-and-wonderful-melanistic.html
http://lenta.ru/news/2008/04/28/squirrels/
http://www.szabadsag.ro/szabadsag/servlet/szabadsag/template/article,PArticleScreen.vm/id/69722
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/cracking-the-mystery-of-colour-change-in-animals/article3301655.ece
[9] List of independent websites with discussion forums and blogs that
follow black squirrel work
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/mammal-forums/2851-black-squirrels.html
http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/flora-and-fauna/the-black-squirrel-project/
http://www.pestcontrolsupplies.co.uk/blog/the-search-for-black-squirrels-a434
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/mammal-forums/31657-black-squirrel-3.html
http://blog.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/index.php/join-the-search-for-the-black-squirrel/
http://ecocentrus.co.uk/blog/black-squirrels
http://worldsoffascination.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/uk-invasive-species-war-of-grey-and.html
http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/48752-black-squirrels-peril-2-the-grey.html
http://stanleykemp.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/black-squirrels-are-in-uk-with.html
[10] Thomas, A. 2008. Black Squirrels. Biological Sciences Review
21 (2): 39-41. Available from HEI on request.