Pine martens back roaming Exmoor woods

PINE martens have been released in Exmoor National Park in the first official return of the native animals to the area for more than a century, conservationists said.

- EMILY BEAMENT

Some 19 pine martens - mammals the size of a small cat from the same family as weasels and otters - were released during September at secret woodland locations owned by the National Trust and Exmoor National Park Authority.

The project, which has also involved the release of pine martens in Dartmoor National Park last year, aims to restore the animals that play a key role in their habitat and help create thriving, resilient woodlands, wildlife experts said.

Pine martens were once common in Exmoor, but were lost due to hunting and the decline of their favoured woodland habitat.

Although sightings have been reported sporadically of pine martens in the area, this is the first official, planned and licensed reintroduction, the team led by Devon Wildlife Trust said.

The new arrivals - nine females and 10 males - were taken from healthy wild populations in the Highlands of Scotland.

After health checks in Scotland, they were driven 500 miles through the night to Exmoor, before being housed individually in specially constructed release pens each with a den box and fresh food and water.

After three days to allow them to acclimatise to their new surroundings, the door to the pens were opened and they were able to start to explore their new wild home.

The pine martens, which are solitary, shy and mainly nocturnal, have been radio-collared to allow the team behind the release to monitor their movements for the first few months of their time on Exmoor.

The collars are designed to fall off the animals after about six to nine months.

The pine martens have been released in autumn to take advantage of the abundance of wild autumn fruits, which they eat at this time of year, along with hunting for prey such as voles, mice and grey squirrels.