A pine marten, a species considered locally extinct in southwestern England for over a century, was recently captured on a trail camera at A Patch Wilder, a conservation site in the Mendip Hills. The footage, recorded on September 4 and reviewed by site owners Charlie and Rachel Fayers, showed the animal moving through bushes before approaching the camera.
Pine martens are small mammals native to Europe that typically inhabit woodland areas. Their diet includes rodents, birds, eggs, insects, and fruit. Due to their nocturnal nature, they are rarely seen in the wild.
In an Instagram post dated September 24, the Fayers described their reaction to seeing the video: “the biggest and best surprise.” They noted that while pine martens have been reintroduced in other regions such as the Forest of Dean, Exmoor, and Dartmoor, these locations are more than 50 miles from Mendip Hills. The couple expressed uncertainty about where this particular animal originated.
The video clip shows the pine marten bounding around near the camera. The Fayers wrote: “For some time we have thought that the Mendip Hills would be well-suited to supporting recolonizing pine martens, with the woodland, den sites and food abundance that they need, but never in a million years did we expect to see one so soon.”
“It is safe to say that this has been probably the biggest and best surprise we have had since starting the project 5 years ago,” they added.
Charlie Fayers told McClatchy News on September 29 that further attempts to spot the animal have been unsuccessful. “We have put out cameras baited with peanuts in the woods but no further sign,” he said via email. “It is therefore likely that this individual was just passing through.”
A Patch Wilder is located in Mendip Hills in southwestern England, approximately 130 miles west of London.
