‘Lost’ pine martens making a comeback in New Forest

PINE martens are making a comeback in the south of England after scientists found evidence that they are breeding in the New Forest.

The cat-sized predator is a relative of stoats and otters and was once widespread across Britain before hunting drove it to the brink of extinction in the 20th century.

Researchers at Forestry England, with funding from Defra, have been setting camera traps in the New Forest for the past two years after there were reports of pine martens in the area.

Now, the team has revealed for the first time that they are confident the population, though small, is breeding and growing steadily.

The findings are positive for the native predator but also for red squirrels who will likely benefit from the presence of pine martens as they will help reduce grey squirrel numbers.

More than 100 video clips of pine martens were captured in 2022, including some showing kits playing together.

Leanne Sargeant, senior ecologist for Forestry England, said the team does not yet know how big the population is.

“From the data we’ve got, and the early records, it’s a growing population.

“We’re confident they’re establishing and increasing in number and spreading to the suitable habitat,” she said.

“Restoring this lost species back to its native habitat is a real positive because it is a species that should have been here all along. It is man that’s caused its extinction so we are restoring that status back to its natural state.”

Ms Sargeant added that the team is working with other projects to try to reintroduce pine martens back to other woodland areas in the south of England.

“We’re looking at the feasibility of pine marten reintroductions along the south [coast].”