sentence: Nonetheless , there is evidence ( area H , see Fig.1 ) that red squirrels are capable of population increases in the face of gray squirrel presence when no SQPV infections are recorded in the local red squirrel population ; declines only occurred with the appearance of the pathogen in red squirrels.This is the first account of SQPV infection ( as opposed to previous exposure ) in gray squirrels being associated with SQPV infection in native red squirrels , thus supporting our final prediction .