Pine martens return to South West after 100 year absence

The Two Moors Pine Marten Project reintroduced 15 of the creatures to Dartmoor in September - a significant milestone in the restoration of the region's wildlife and woodlands.

It follows two years of careful planning and community consultation.

The reintroduction of the pine martens, who are members of the weasel family, is the first phase of a plan to establish a resident population in the area.

The second phase will see a similar release in Exmoor in 2025.

Alicia Hallatt, human-wildlife co-existence officer at Somerset Wildlife Trust, said: "Seeing how the public and project partners have respected each other and worked together on this project has been so inspiring.

"Successfully completing this next stage is a real beacon of hope that we can restore a healthy environment and reconnect with nature to the benefit of us and future generations.”

(Image: Karl Franz) Emma Williams, species recovery higher officer, Natural England, said: "This project has shown a great example of best practice and the reintroduction of pine marten will have a positive impact on Dartmoor's biodiversity."

The pine martens were sourced from healthy wild populations in Scotland and were health-checked by vets before being transported to their new homes.

They were placed in specially constructed pens at secluded woodland locations and were allowed to acclimatise before being released into the wild.

Each animal was fitted with a radio collar to allow their movements to be tracked.

Eleanor Lewis, outreach manager for the Woodland Trust in the South West, said: "The whole project has been an amazing team effort and the Woodland Trust are delighted to have played a part in this momentous moment."

The project aims to engage hundreds of people from various communities across the South West over the next three years, with opportunities for citizen science, nature-based activities, and community-based projects.

For more information, visit www.twomoorspinemartens.org.