Pine martens are recovering across the UK following decades of persecution, and understanding their foraging ecology is key to supporting welfare and coexistence as they recolonise new territories.
Pine marten welfare during recolonisation is shaped by habitat quality and prey availability in newly occupied territories. Animals dispersing into unfamiliar landscapes face elevated stress as they establish ranges without the learned knowledge of prey patches and shelter sites that resident animals develop. The first winters following reintroduction are critical welfare checkpoints - animals with inadequate fat reserves entering winter are at acute starvation risk. Conflict with gamekeepers remains a welfare threat; while pine martens are legally protected, illegal persecution continues in some areas. Road mortality is a growing concern as populations expand into fragmented landscapes.