comanche 2,799 Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 (edited) 3 hours ago, tatsblisters said: Never seen one in the wild though with the boom in grey squirrel numbers around me maybe they would be a welcome introduction though i don't know how they would fair in deciduous woodland. Ther is a campaign for support to introduce them into Sussex and Kent . Can't really get this obsession with releasing predators into a countryside with a diminishing population of native potential prey animals and birds. Oh yes l can..... Let's face it if you want public donations and government grants for a pet wildlife project use a cute predator as poster boy; on most days a crate of pine martens will trump a hundred boxes of pygmy shrews. Apparently "viability studies are in progress and it is hoped that they will play a role in the control of grey squirrels" Can't see the logic of the latter. For a start their presence will make squirrel control by other means more difficult in case martens are harmed or disturbed. They are going to be released in areas where generations of local wildlife have no intrinsic historic defence tactics to evade a novel predator. Imagine you are a pine marten and you come across something nestled under a bit of coppiced hazel . It's winter ,you are a bit peckish .... Do you say to yourself " Oh l can't possibly tear that hibernating dormouse from its nest because it's endangered "..... I did suggest that before any proper releases take place a few neutered animals could be freed and monitored . I strongly think that before any supposed "historic native species" is reintroduced there should be legal conditions allowing for population control , rather than automatic blanket protection . Funnily enough my post disappeared from the Pine Marten people's discussion board Edited January 16 by comanche 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tatsblisters 7,957 Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 13 minutes ago, comanche said: Ther is a campaign for support to introduce them into Sussex and Kent . Can't really get this obsession with releasing predators into a countryside with a diminishing population of native potential prey animals and birds. Oh yes l can..... Let's face it if you want public donations and government grants for a pet wildlife project use a cute predator as poster boy; on most days a crate of pine martens will trump a hundred boxes of pygmy shrews. Apparently "viability studies are in progress and it is hoped that they will play a role in the control of grey squirrels" Can't see the logic of the latter. For a start their presence will make squirrel control by other means more difficult in case martens are harmed or disturbed. They are going to be released in areas where generations of local wildlife have no intrinsic historic defence tactics to evade a novel predator. Imagine you are a pine marten and you come across something nestled under a bit of coppiced hazel . It's winter ,you are a bit peckish .... Do you say to yourself " Oh l can't possibly tear that hibernating dormouse from its nest because it's endangered "..... I did suggest that before any proper releases take place a few neutered animals could be freed and monitored . I strongly think that before any supposed "historic native species" is reintroduced there should be legal conditions allowing for population control , rather than automatic blanket protection . Funnily enough my post disappeared from the Pine Marten people's discussion board You are right. We all know the devastating effect mink have had on the water vole population and in all honesty I think things should be left be as far as introducing species into an area we're they have not existed for years. It happened around me years ago were idiots from South Yorkshire badger watch released and made artificial setts on public woodland and golf course with no consideration for the farmers in nearby fields who has cattle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel cain 42,902 Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, DIDO.1 said: Mate has lost a load of hens to one in Scotland, all his little valley (glen?) has been visited loosing ducks and hens. Anyway he set a cage trap on the inside of his hen house through the pop hole which it entered through. He set a camera watching it. He wasn't aiming for pine Martin's, he presumed it was a mink or fox cub. Anyway at the end of the week he checked the camera and it had visited 4 times, each time looking through the pop hole....it wouldn't go in though. Clever sod They were a nuisance up there 10 yrs ago.... Knocking around for permission for rabbits.... few old boys let us on,and mentioned them,they not wanted from what I gathered 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dogmandont 9,369 Posted January 16 Report Share Posted January 16 Widespread in NI now as well, have watched them a few times bin hoking at a spot I go MTBing and a few been killed on the roads not far from me, a lad I know has trapped loads just over the border in monaghan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,191 Posted January 16 Author Report Share Posted January 16 On 15/01/2024 at 20:48, Daniel cain said: The 449 will be awash with the little fuckers.... sunbathing on the hard shoulder... Make a change from polecats . 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,191 Posted January 16 Author Report Share Posted January 16 11 hours ago, Greyman said: They are the latest animal to be adopted by the rewinding loons, no consultation with landowners, just breed them faster then they get killed and keep turning them loose, has worked with otters and polecats so they won’t stop And Scottish wildcats . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfdog91 6,276 Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 Welp seems like it's time for some martin boxes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Neal 1,788 Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 On 16/01/2024 at 10:26, DIDO.1 said: You in the forest? No, I'm a bit to the east in another forest: The Forest of Bere. On 16/01/2024 at 11:15, Borr said: New forest has some pine no? Also are there any beech martens ? Yep, lots of pine in the New Forest too. Not sure of the proportion of coniferous to deciduous to heathland though. I'm not sure, but I think that beech martens are only on mainland Europe. Am I right in thinking that beech marten are more urban friendly? i.e. less secretive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Borr 4,504 Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 59 minutes ago, Neal said: No, I'm a bit to the east in another forest: The Forest of Bere. Yep, lots of pine in the New Forest too. Not sure of the proportion of coniferous to deciduous to heathland though. I'm not sure, but I think that beech martens are only on mainland Europe. Am I right in thinking that beech marten are more urban friendly? i.e. less secretive. I know a family friend had a small place in France and they beech martens got in the loft and left mountains of shite that stank the house out... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WILF 44,334 Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 15 hours ago, Wolfdog91 said: Welp seems like it's time for some martin boxes Highly, highly protected here mate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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