Pine martins in Forest of Dean

[forest of dean redneck 11,183]

18 have been released with short term trackers attached , don’t know how the poultry keepers are going to feel . 

[micky 3,325]

1 hour ago, forest of dean redneck said:

18 have been released with short term trackers attached , don’t know how the poultry keepers are going to feel . 

Cheered up  I would imagine !  it would be a pleasure to see a creature like  in the countryside .

[zandy01 3,575]

It’s a cracking reintroduction, I would imagine they’ll prey primarily on grey squirrels and will raid the odd bird nest during the season, they don’t seem to predate red squirrels so it’s a win win situation conservation wise, Martens should do well and in turn the red squirrel population should thrive.

[Greyman 25,165]

Much as I,d like to see one I wish man would stop trying to play god, it’s a way of selling it to the public by claiming they only eat grey squirrels, what happens in a perfect pine Martin world when they have cleared up all those nasty greys and are only left with your chickens or reds which don’t actually excist in the Forest of Dean, it’s just another mustelid which like all mustelids before it will read havoc on all birds and small mammals once it gets a hold, it’s close cousin the badger was a rarity in the countryside many years ago until the tree huggers got involved   

[cragman 2,631]

They won’t be selective in what they kill unless they’ve been programmed not to touch reds if there are reds about. The bird life will suffer but it’ll look good on springwatch and bring the punters flocking 

[kinkell 787]

We have plenty local fantastic animal to see even had one in my garden but they are killers

[micky 3,325]

When I was a kid I was told that a Stoat was good for the Rabbit population and a Weasel was welcome in the Hay Ricks ! would the Pine Martin be welcome in the Forests to maintain a population of whatever it predates on ?

[gnipper 5,945]

We still have a few reds here and I don't think a pine martin would go down very well or last very long.

[Daniel cain 42,804]

Will be keeping my eyes out for 1 sunbathing .....and have it on the wall....

[Nicepix 5,650]

We used to have a few red squirrels in the neighbouring hedgerows and rabbits in a sort of island in one of the large maize fields. The island was where they dumped all the large rocks the plough brought up. It was wick with bunnies. Then, about three years ago we noticed that pine martins were about. The neighbours chickens and rabbits were decimated and we haven't seen a squirrel or rabbit since.

[shaneg 2,577]

It’s walking with them around me in my opinion they do far more damage than the fox. They will kill pheasants for fun and if they get into a pen they will kill everyone of them and usually take none. 

[Rabbit Hunter 6,608]

Are they diggable quarry Shane or do they stick to the trees?

[Nicepix 5,650]

Out here they tend to live in wood piles. There are loads of stacked wood piles in remote places and that is where many of them they live. There is a similar species called a stone marten that lives in buildings. We had one in our loft the first winter we lived here. Sounded like a cart horse cantering across the ceiling.