Pine martens have recovered from near-extinction in most of Britain to recolonise parts of Scotland, Wales, and England. Conservation welfare involves protection from persecution, road mortality, and supporting successful reintroduction programmes.
Pine marten recovery is a conservation success story with individual welfare implications. Persecution through illegal trapping and snaring causes acute pain and prolonged death. Road mortality involves traumatic injury. As populations expand, encounters with humans and managed game estates increase, raising persecution risk. Legal protection is necessary but insufficient without active enforcement and ongoing monitoring. The ecological benefits of pine marten recovery, including potential grey squirrel regulation, align with both conservation and wider welfare goals.