By the turn of the last century, pine martens were as good as extinct in England. Loss of woodland habitat and hunting caused the dramatic decline in numbers until by the late 1800s they were no longer to be found in Gloucestershire. There were fewer than 20 individuals surviving in England’s depleting woodlands.
The cousin of otters and weasels, pine martens are similar in size to a domestic cat. They live in our forests and survive on a varied diet consisting of fruit, fungi and even the non native grey squirrel. Their place in the vulnerable balance of our forest ecosystems is vital and their loss has had an impact on the delicate functioning of our woodlands.
Our good news, however, is that The Forest Of Dean is now home to around 40 breeding pine marten as a result of Project Pine Marten, a Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust project. Successful reintroduction of 35 pine marten over the past three years has resulted in a small but resilient pine marten population in our corner of England and into Wales.
Whilst you may want to see one, I encourage you to calm your expectations. Pine marten are usually shy and elusive, and the most likely sign you will come across in your search for one is scat on the forest floor. (For example, https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/dr-cat-mcnicol/food-glorious-food)
For a more reliable sighting try here: //www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/gloswildlifecams/pine-marten-cam or try your luck up the road in The Forest of Dean.
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