In England, pine martens are still scarce and have a very restricted distribution. Martens are spreading from southern Scotland and naturally re-colonising parts of Northumberland and Cumbria. Elsewhere in England, pine martens have been recorded in Shropshire and Hampshire (the New Forest).

The problem. Pine martens are one of the rarest mammals in Britain and, although they are making a comeback in Scotland, they are still perilously close to extinction in England and Wales. Once widespread throughout Britain, persecution and deforestation caused pine marten populations to decline dramatically.

They have now increased their range in Scotland, and now occur throughout the Highlands, N of the Central Belt but remains one of the rarest native mammals in Great Britain, with a total population of around 3-4,000, but Ireland probably also has as many.

Not extinct

The pine marten (Martes martes) is a cat-sized member of the weasel family. Once found across Britain, the pine marten was prone to persecution until relatively recently. Though it has recovered a little from a dramatic decline, the species is still rare.

Could a polecat, ferret, or a pine marten harm, or pose any danger to a domestic cat? – Quora. , Reptile keeper and breeder, wildlife observation and ecology hobbyist. Yes, absolutely. These animals are fast, agile, ferocious predators capable of taking down prey several times their own size.

They’re really elusive, very shy, really clever and quite nocturnal. They are such a beautiful creature, their fur was highly prized, which contributed to their numbers being decimated. Flynn said there are “no recorded incidents” of pine martens attacking humans.

Do pine martens kill poultry and game fowl? Yes they will if it is possible to gain entry to where the birds are housed. Hen houses are generally marten-proof when constructed of new timber, but tend to deteriorate over time, particularly around the base.

Yes, unfortunately. Make no mistake, no matter how long they’ve been bred in captivity, they are 100% wild animals. First, permits may be required or they may be banned from owning. They have very specific needs and inherited instincts that need to be nutured.

Like other mustelids, martens have a pair of scent glands located near the anus. The musk is released from these glands when the marten is excited and the odor is not as objectionable or as powerful as mink, weasel or skunk musk.

Often confused with scats of other animals like foxes, pine martens’ scats are smaller with a tolerable smell – floral or sweet scent.

Pine martens are notoriously difficult to spot. They are mostly nocturnal but can be seen in the early and late hours of the day, especially in summer when they are most active.

Although they are preyed upon occasionally by golden eagles, red foxes, wolves, and wildcats, humans are the largest threat to pine martens. They are vulnerable from conflict with humans, arising from predator control for other species, or following predation of livestock and the use of inhabited buildings for denning.

Pine martens are omnivores and have a varied diet. They will eat small mammals such as voles, rabbits, insects and squirrels, as well as seasonal produce such as fruits and berries. They’re very opportunistic and will cheekily devour any leftovers with relish; they are known for their sweet tooth!

The marten is an opportunist and will feed on the carcasses of dead animals, including dead deer and sheep, which are commonly found during the autumn and winter months. The pine marten’s main prey includes small mammals such as mice, voles, rats and squirrels.

Pine martens have longer legs than mink and are more cat-like in shape. Mink have a long, slinky body, thin tail and blunt face with small rounded ears and often a small white patch on the chin. Pine martens have bushy tails, sharp pointed faces, upright, triangular ears and a large, creamy-yellow chest.

Many people enjoy watching pine martens and tempt them into their gardens with food such as nuts, peanut butter and jam sandwiches! Pine martens may be attracted to soft fruit growing in gardens; methods are available to exclude them, such as fruit cages or electric fencing.

Birds, insects, small mammals, eggs, fungi and berries are all part of the pine marten’s diet.

Pine Martens have excellent eyesight and exceptional hearing with a very good sense of smell that gives them the ability to find prey.