Pine Martens Reclaim the Wild

Although still critically endangered in Wales and England, pine marten numbers continue to recover in Scotland, writes Rich Rowe.

Mostly active between dusk and dawn, pine martens rarely reveal themselves easily. But while notoriously difficult to spot, this is an animal that, in Scotland at least, continues to recover lost ground following past human persecution and habitat loss.

Legally protected since the late 1980s, this elusive, cat-sized predator is a creature of the trees. The expansion of commercial forestry plantations and, more recently, regeneration of native woodlands have provided them with the woodland cover they crave.

Chestnut-brown in colour, with a distinctive creamy ‘bib’ on their throat and upper chest, pine martens are members of the mustelid family of animals, which also includes stoats, weasels and badgers.

Much like their cousins, pine martens enjoy an eclectic diet, feasting in the summer on a diet of birds’ eggs, insects, frogs and, especially, blaeberries. In a good berry season, blaeberries can account for a third of the pine marten’s diet, with the animal’s presence often revealed by the purple-coloured scat left on rocks, logs and other prominent places.

Pine martens mostly rest up during daytime hours in dens made in tree hollows, disused squirrel dreys and rocky crevices, but they become more active during the short daylight hours of winter when there is a greater need to collect and store food. At this time of year, their attention turns to small birds, mice and voles, with foraging trips often taking them many miles from den sites.

Alert and agile, pine martens are formidable hunters. Martens are the only members of the mustelid family to have semi-retractable claws – a physiological gift that ensures they are equally speedy whether on the ground or darting through the trees.

Pine martens are even nimble enough to prey on grey squirrels, with evidence to suggest that their presence reduces the numbers of invasive non-native greys to the benefit of native reds.

That said, red squirrels cannot rest easy when sharing territory with pine martens. Although they are not thought to take significant numbers, pine martens are one of the few predators able to catch reds, which they chase at high speed through the treetops using their claws and long tails for grip and balance.

Further information Pine martens are present at Glenlude in the Scottish Borders where trail cameras have revealed their liking for denning in the on-site log store (above).

About the author
Rich Rowe is contributing editor for the Journal.

• This article first appeared in the Autumn 2024 edition of the John Muir Trust Members' Journal. If you would like to receive our Journal twice a year please consider joining the Trust as a Member.