Wild Pine Marten Recovery and Welfare

Pine martens are recovering in Scotland and being reintroduced to England and Wales after near-extinction, with individual welfare implications throughout the process.

Key Facts

Pine martens were persecuted to near-extinction in England and Wales by the early twentieth century
Scotland retains a healthy population estimated at 3,700-4,400 individuals
Reintroduction projects in Wales and the Forest of Dean have been highly successful
Pine martens may suppress grey squirrel populations, benefiting red squirrel recovery
Martens are highly territorial - newly released individuals face competition from established animals
Radio-tracking studies show high early post-release mortality in reintroduction projects
Supplementary feeding during establishment helps released martens survive the early period
Illegal persecution through poisoning and shooting remains a threat despite legal protection

Welfare Considerations

Pine marten reintroduction welfare begins in the source population - careful trapping, health screening and transport must minimise stress and injury. Released animals face significant challenges including unfamiliar territory, competitor animals and predation. Post-release mortality in the first months is substantial. Welfare-centred reintroduction protocols include pre-release conditioning, appropriate release site selection, supplementary feeding, and close post-release monitoring with intervention capability for injured animals.

What You Can Do

Support Vincent Wildlife Trust and People's Trust for Endangered Species reintroduction work
Report pine marten sightings to help map the expanding population
Avoid the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides which can poison martens
Report suspected illegal persecution to police and Natural England
Install nest boxes on your land if you are in or near a pine marten reintroduction area