First Pine Marten Kits in Devon for 150 years
Written by: Danielle Semple
Two pine martens playing on a log. Credit: Mark Hamblin/naturepl.com
Last month, we witnessed, with the help of our trail cams, the first pine marten kits from the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, running around our woodlands after the reintroduction programme to re-establish the species.
In October 2024, we were involved in the release of 15 pine martens, including 8 females and 7 males, across various woodlands in Dartmoor. These pine martens were the first wild ones to make Devon their home after they were made locally extinct due to a loss of their favoured woodland habitat and to human persecution.
Our footage shows the kits and their mother playing around on a fallen tree. Please see the video to see them explore their home.
The female pine martens arrived in Dartmoor having mated with males last summer. Once they have established their territory and developed a suitable den, they decide to implant the fertilised egg they travelled down with, which has been dormant since last summer – a term known as delayed implantation. They typically give birth to two or three kits in spring, and the youngsters can spend up to eight weeks in the den before emerging in early summer. They then stay with their mother until next spring, when they become fully independent.
Jack Hunt, Woodland Trust Assistant Site Manager – Devon, 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.”
A cheeky pine marten sticking it’s tongue out! Credit: Laurie Campbell/WTML
The project is now preparing for a further release of animals in autumn 2025. The pine martens are to be sourced under licence from healthy wild populations in Scotland. After rigorous health checks by vets, the animals (likely to number around 20 in total) will be released with landowner permissions at secret locations on Exmoor. We expect that this release across Exmoor, coupled with the release last year, is enough to seed the population across the whole of the South West.
The animals have been brought back to the region thanks to the work of the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, a partnership of seven organisations, including the 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 and with the expert help of the Vincent Wildlife Trust.
If you have any questions about the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, you can get in touch with their sightings via their website www.twomoorspinemartens.org.