PREVIEW

Pine martens are back on Dartmoor for the first time 150 years.

The cute but feisty critters originally died out in Devon in the 1870s, but a new conservation project has brought them back to South West England.

The rare mammals, related to weasels and otters, were transported from Scotland and kept in soft-release pens for three days to acclimatise before being set free.

The released group comprises eight females and seven males, all fitted with radio collars to track their movements. The enclosures used for the initial release will be flat-packed and reused for the next phase of the project, which is planned for Exmoor in 2025.

Ed Parr Ferris, Conservation Manager at Devon Wildlife Trust said: “Pine martens are stunning members of the weasel family, about two foot long, weighing just 1.5 kilos, with their creamy-orange bibs contrasting against their smooth chocolate-coloured coat.

“They are amazingly well adapted for life in the woodland night, with strong claws, lithe bodies, fantastic hearing and even reversible rear ankles helping them to run down trees. These rare mammals need our help to return to their former homes in the South West, but we also need their help to bring back the natural balance of wildlife to our woodlands.”

Arriving under the cover of darkness each animal was placed in its own specially constructed pen at woodland locations which were chosen for their seclusion. There they were fed and watered by a team of local volunteers. After three days of quiet acclimatisation, the pen doors were opened, and the pine martens were allowed to make their first historic steps into the wild.

The project is now carefully monitoring the progress of the 15 pine martens. Each animal was fitted with a radio collar to allow their movements to be tracked. The collars were fitted under vet supervision, are lightweight and have been specially designed so as not to restrict the movement of the animals. The collars will drop off the animals after six to nine months of use.
Pine martens are mostly solitary creatures and live at low densities. The expectation of the project is that the new animals will disperse to establish their own territories. The population is expected to grow gradually over the coming years.

Kerry White is Dartmoor National Park Authority Ecologist. Kerry added:“We are thrilled to support the first release of pine martens here on Dartmoor. Once common in our region’s woodlands, we look forward to these animals making Dartmoor their home and in turn supporting the rebalance of nature in our National Park.”