The pine marten, more commonly known as marten, was once widespread throughout the woods and forests of Eurasia. Today, it is still found abundantly in many countries, but not everywhere.
The pine marten is a small nocturnal animal that weighs barely more than a kilo. It is a shy carnivore that prefers to stay away from homes, favoring wooded areas. The marten is generally brown in color with a characteristic pale yellow bib on the chin and throat.
Hunting and habitat loss have pushed the pine marten to the brink of extinction
The mustelid was brought close to extinction in Britain due to habitat loss and overhunting. So much so that it has become incredible to see a marten in the wild that does not belong to a reintroduction project.
The beginning of the 20e century sounded the death knell for the pine marten in Britain. Hunted by hunters and deprived of its territory by the clearing of forests, the species only survived in isolated corners of the Highlands. It is a mountainous region which crosses Scotland.
The mustelid also survived in a few fragmented areas of Wales and northern England. This is why a conservation project was launched in 2014. It aimed to restore pine marten populations across Britain.
More than 100 martens have been transferred to create new populations
This project is the result of a collaboration between the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and the government agency Forestry and Land Scotland. Ten years later, we can say that it is a success. More than 100 martens have already been successfully transferred. They thus strengthen the populations in Wales, in Devon and in Gloucestershire.
“This project has strengthened populations in parts of Britain and helped provide renewed security for these amazing animals,” says Jenny MacPherson, senior scientist at the Vincent Wildlife Trust.
As early as 2014, the VWT and Forestry and Land Scotland identified healthy and thriving populations of pine marten in Scotland's forests. Specimens have been captured in these forests. They made it possible to create new sustainable populations in areas where the marten had already disappeared.
This conservation project has “safeguarded biodiversity for future generations”
Of course, all martens have been captured, handled and transported in the most secure and ethical way possible. These pine marten transfers helped “safeguard biodiversity for future generations”, according to Ed Parr-Ferris, head of conservation at the Devon Wildlife Trust.
As Kenny Kortland, ecologist at Forestry and Land Scotland, explains, “Reaching the milestone of translocating 100 pine martens in a decade is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through dedicated partnership and community-led conservation. science.”
The future of the pine marten in Britain now looks brighter. Experts continue to closely monitor populations to ensure the continued conservation of these mustelids.
Source: BBC
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