Pine martens successfully breeding in New Forest
It follows efforts to reintroduce them across the area
Last updated 1st Dec 2022
Pine martens are being spotted in increasing numbers in the New Forest and are successfully breeding, according to conservation experts.
The cat-sized creatures, which are members of the weasel family, were once widespread across the UK, but were thought to have contained to northern England, Scotland and Wales due to habitat loss.
A long-term study to map and monitor the New Forest pine marten population was set up following a growing number of confirmed sightings over the last six years.
Now in its second year, it features teams using a range of techniques to study these nocturnal creatures, including hidden cameras.
Over 100 video clips were captured in 2022, including some showing young pine martens exploring and playing together, providing further evidence that they are successfully breeding.
The new clips also confirm initial findings that pine martens prefer to use fallen trees and branches to navigate across the forest floor and to cross streams and wet areas.
Leanne Sargeant, Senior Ecologist for Forestry England, said:
“The progress of pine martens in the New Forest is a real success story. It’s our goal to make sure the nation’s forests provide wildlife with places to thrive and expand.
"Here in the New Forest pine martens are doing just that. The survey makes it clear that they are settling in a wide range of areas and successfully breeding.
"We hope that knowing more about their development will help us support these rare creatures and inform reintroduction projects elsewhere.”
The team hope to combine the video with other methods to assess the size of the population of pine martens in the New Forest.
Mostly chestnut brown in colour, each pine marten has a uniquely shaped bib – a pale yellow section of fur on its chin and throat.
This can help to identify individuals and, by observing their interactions, the team may also be able to monitor family groups.
Marcus Ward from the specialist conservation consultancy, Wild New Forest, said:
“It is incredibly rare to actually see a pine marten in the forest, even for someone like me who spends pretty much every day here. So, to have again captured so many clips of these amazing animals is incredible.
"This video gives us a unique view into their hidden world and an opportunity to really advance the understanding of these special creatures and how best to support them."