Pine martens born in wild in part of Britain for first time in a century

Pine marten cubs have been born in the wild in a part of Britain for the first time in over a century.

Experts are celebrating the first births of the mammals less than a year after a reintroduction.

Fifteen pine martens, including eight females and seven males, were released at undisclosed locations in autumn 2024.

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Now, camera trap footage has revealed the first glimpses of kits, recorded at a secret site in June this year.

Two videos show the youngsters as they explore their new home.

In one clip, three kits chase each other through foliage and up a bank before disappearing from sight in a woodland.

A second shows the same mother with two kits as they scamper along a fallen tree close to a fast-running stream on Dartmoor, Devon, as reported by What’s The Jam.

The cat-sized animals, related to weasels and badgers, were once common in the South West but fell victim to the loss of their favoured woodland habitat and to human persecution.

The animals have been brought back to the region thanks to the work of the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, which is a partnership of seven organisations including Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, Exmoor National Park Authority, Forestry England, National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust.

The project has been made possible with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and with the expert help of the Vincent Wildlife Trust.

Devon Wildlife Trust’s Tracey Hamston leads the Two Moors Pine Marten Project.

She said, “When our volunteers discovered the footage of pine marten kits on one of our trail cameras, we were ecstatic.

“This is a historic moment for the return of a native animal and the future of the South West’s woodlands. To have breeding pine martens back after a century’s absence signals a positive step in nature’s recovery.

“It’s also testament to the many hours of work undertaken by the project partnership and dozens of local volunteers.”

Kerry White, Dartmoor National Park Authority Ecologist, said: “Dartmoor National Park Authority is thrilled to have been involved in such a pioneering project, which has brought together multiple organisations to help return pine martens to the South West.

“We’re delighted to see footage of the kits exploring their new environment and look forward to the positive impact their presence will have on helping to re-address ecological balance in our woodlands.”

Stuart McLeod of The National Lottery Heritage Fund added, “The birth of the first pine marten kits in Devon in over a century marks a truly historic moment for wildlife recovery.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve been proud to support this pioneering project to bring this elusive and charismatic species back to our woodlands.

“It has brought together many organisations with one goal in mind, to help nature’s recovery.

“This milestone is a testament to the power of long-term conservation and the resilience of nature when given the chance to thrive.”

Jack Hunt, of the Woodland Trust, said: “Staff and volunteers have been checking camera traps for several months and over the past few weeks have been eagerly anticipating seeing kits.

“This sighting is wonderful news.

“The work over many years to restore and improve the condition of our woodlands, to support other landowners to do the same and work in partnership on this project has culminated in the return of the pine marten born in its natural environment in Dartmoor, the first of many and the beginning of the return of this missing species.”

Loubna Tacey, National Trust spokesperson, said: “The news of the birth of the first Devon wild pine marten kits marks a significant milestone in the return of a long-lost native species and signals a step forward in restoring the South West’s special woodlands.

“It shows that these elusive animals are settling in, thriving, and beginning to weave themselves into the fabric of our native woodlands.

“This is a hopeful sign for the long-term resilience of our natural landscapes.”

Forest Planner at Forestry England, Abigail Parravani, said: “Forestry England has previously collaborated on successful pine marten releases, so we know that the birth of the first kits following reintroduction is always an exciting milestone for species recovery.

“I’m looking forward to watching the Two Moors Pine Marten Project go from strength to strength with the next planned releases on Exmoor this year.”

Lucie Bennett, of Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Pine Martens Engagement Officer (Exmoor), said: “After the years of research, planning and hard work from the project team to deliver a successful translocation, to now see the next generation of pine martens in the South West is simply fantastic.

“What a beautiful sight to see healthy kits moving through the woodlands of Dartmoor that they once again call home.

“These kits will grow up to do wonderful things as a part of our woodland ecosystem and mark a special moment in history for nature recovery.”

Evidence that the Dartmoor released pine martens are now breeding follows months of work by the Two Moors Pine Marten Project partnership and its dedicated local volunteers.

Since their release in 2024, the team has spent hundreds of hours tracking the movements of the 15 pine martens, installing den boxes for them, and checking camera traps to learn more about their whereabouts and behaviour.

Female pine martens usually give birth to two or three kits in spring.

Youngsters spend their first 7-8 weeks hidden in their dens before emerging in early summer.

They then stay with their mothers through autumn and into winter, before becoming fully independent the following spring.

The project’s experts anticipate that the South West’s population should now grow gradually over the coming years.

Pine martens live at low density and avoid human contact.

Their nocturnal habits and elusive nature mean sightings are likely to be rare.

The project is now preparing for a further release of animals in autumn 2025.

The pine martens are to be sourced under licence from NatureScot from healthy wild populations in Scotland.

After rigorous health checks by vets, the animals will be released with landowner permissions at secret locations on Exmoor.

In recent months, the project team has been holding a series of face-to-face and public meetings with dozens of local stakeholders, explaining the releases and the part the native species will play in healthy woodlands.

Two Moors Pine Marten Project Lead, Tracey Hamston, said: “We’re looking to build on the success of last year’s releases of pine martens on Dartmoor.

“Exmoor’s woodlands are well-suited to the animals.

“Their arrival in early autumn will coincide with the local natural harvest of wild berries – food which pine martens love. In a year’s time, we would hope to see the first kits appearing on Exmoor.”

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