The pine marten is recovering in Britain after near-extinction in the early 20th century, with reintroduction programs in Wales, England, and Scotland supporting population growth.
Reintroduced pine martens face the welfare challenges of any translocation: capture stress, transport, and establishment in unfamiliar territory. Long-term monitoring reveals that most reintroduced animals successfully establish territories, though some individuals fail to establish and experience nutritional stress. The welfare of pine martens also depends on ongoing control of illegal persecution - despite legal protection, some martens are still killed by gamekeeper trapping. Community engagement programs that demonstrate the pest control benefits of martens reduce illegal persecution pressure.