Mendips may have first pine martens in century

PINE martens have returned to the area after more than 100 years.

- STAFF REPORTER

The pine marten caught on camera

(Charlie and Rachel Favers/A Patch Wilder)

The carnivorous mammals were once common across the region but died out due to the loss of their woodland habitat and human persecution.

Small-scale attempts to reintroduce them have been under way on Dartmoor and in the Forest of Dean.

But they now appear to be travelling further afield and, in footage captured this week, one was spotted on a nighttime trail camera.

Charlie Fayers, who is running a rewilding project on land around 15 miles south of Bristol city centre, was shocked to spot the creature when reviewing the film.

He said: “We set up a camera in the woods to monitor wildlife there and were amazed to find a video of a pine marten when we checked it on Tuesday.