Pine Marten

Tree hunter

The pine marten is one of very few carnivores capable of hunting prey in the tree canopy. Its long, bushy tail provides balance; semi-retractile claws grip bark; and exceptional agility allows it to pursue squirrels and birds through the branches. It can leap several metres between trees and descend trunks head-first. On the ground it is equally capable, taking small mammals, eggs, berries, and insects.

Squirrel dynamics

The pine marten’s return to parts of Britain where it was previously absent has produced an unexpected ecological benefit. Grey squirrels (a North American invasive species) evolved without pine martens and have no innate anti-predator response to them — when pine martens arrive in an area, grey squirrel populations decline dramatically. Native red squirrels, having coexisted with martens for thousands of years, have learned to avoid them more effectively and maintain their populations. This means pine marten recovery may help restore red squirrels to areas where greys currently dominate.

Persecution and recovery

Pine martens were persecuted to near-extinction in Britain by the early 20th century — trapped and shot by gamekeepers, and their fur used in clothing. By the 1970s, the British population consisted of perhaps 100–200 individuals in the Scottish Highlands. Legal protection has allowed recovery; the Scottish population now numbers several thousand. Reintroductions to Wales (2015–2017) and the Forest of Dean (2019–2020) have established new breeding populations in England and Wales.

Cream eggs and beetles

Pine martens have an unexpectedly sweet tooth: in summer they eat large quantities of bilberries, rowan berries, and other fruits, and are known to take cream eggs and chocolate left out for them by wildlife enthusiasts. This dietary flexibility — from red squirrels to beetles to bilberries — makes them highly adaptable predators.