Pine Marten, how rare?

[DoraMac]

National Biodiversity Network Gateway

Hi,

This link might help. I live at the southern side of the Cairn O' Mount from Banchory and have had a sighting of which I was 90 percent sure was a PM

[Doobie Doo]

DoraMac, we are actually on the North side of the Cairn on Feughside.

One link provided in this chain is really good for all local sightings of all types:-

NESBReC - Recording

I even checked out a Badger I saw last month at my in laws who live just outside Alford. Seems lots of other people have also reported as it was already on the map, along with Otters I saw on the Feugh.

[JB9302]

My brother was 90% sure he saw one in Snake woodlands about 2 yrs ago , reported it to Vincent Trust .

Julian

[thunder]

Originally Posted by RKB

Yours are introduced though, not the real thing

Speaking of introduced, pine forests are not native to England and Wales either.

What makes you say that Pine Martens are introduced to Ireland?

henrya

[RKB]

Originally Posted by thunder

What makes you say that Pine Martens are introduced to Ireland?

henrya

Introduced for fur, apparently. Read it in British Wildlife, I think. That's the theory anyway, although I suppose others disagree, although there is no physical evidence of them before about 800 BC, apparently.

Makes sense, I suppose, in light of the rest of the impoverished fauna. Not many temperate forest species seemed to have made it over ebfore the land bridge flooded (no Weasels, Polecats, Bank Voles, Beavers?).

[thunder]

Originally Posted by RKB

Introduced for fur, apparently. Read it in British Wildlife, I think. That's the theory anyway, although I suppose others disagree, although there is no physical evidence of them before about 800 BC, apparently.

Makes sense, I suppose, in light of the rest of the impoverished fauna. Not many temperate forest species seemed to have made it over ebfore the land bridge flooded (no Weasels, Polecats, Bank Voles, Beavers?).

Interesting. Must be a relatively new theory, as I've not seen any mention of it before. If you can locate the reference I would be very interested.

henrya

[RKB]

Originally Posted by thunder

Interesting. Must be a relatively new theory, as I've not seen any mention of it before. If you can locate the reference I would be very interested.

henrya

I think it might have been a comment in the twitcher in the swamp bit, or the round-up reports, but I haven't got access to them now. But a quick google shows this (with ref):

Molecular data of this type (Davison et
al. 2001) indicate that the pine marten (Martes martes) has
a Lusitanian distribution in terms of genetic composition.
Davison et al. (2001) suggest that the pine marten was
introduced to Ireland because of its fur, but the striking
finding is that it appears to have been introduced from
populations in southwest continental Europe and not from
Britain. Although Davison et al. (2001) do not discuss this
aspect of their results, their data provide support for
Corbet’s (1961) contention that trade links with southwest
continental Europe had a role in the colonization of
Ireland by temperate species.

from here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...f/12908980.pdf where the refs can be found.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by RKB

I think it might have been a comment in the twitcher in the swamp bit, or the round-up reports, but I haven't got access to them now. But a quick google shows this (with ref):

Molecular data of this type (Davison et
al. 2001) indicate that the pine marten (Martes martes) has
a Lusitanian distribution in terms of genetic composition.
Davison et al. (2001) suggest that the pine marten was
introduced to Ireland because of its fur, but the striking
finding is that it appears to have been introduced from
populations in southwest continental Europe and not from
Britain. Although Davison et al. (2001) do not discuss this
aspect of their results, their data provide support for
Corbet’s (1961) contention that trade links with southwest
continental Europe had a role in the colonization of
Ireland by temperate species.

from here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...f/12908980.pdf where the refs can be found.

Thanks RKB.

I have traced the source reference through Davison et al, via Yalden (A History of British Mammals), back to Fairley (An Irish Beast Book), where he writes

"Little can be said of the origins of fox, badger, marten and red squirrel save that they have been here since before historic time. Maybe some of them could have succeeded in swimming a narrow channel and human introduction is a possibility, the skins of squirrels, foxes and especially martens being prized from early times - but this is mere speculation."


Hmmm.

henrya

[caperwatch]

For anyone really keen to see Pine Marten its worth visiting Speyside Wildlife's hide. Wildcat spotted fairly regularly on the cameras too!!
Another good place is the Huntly Peregrine Wildwatch centre, they have a regular visitor to the bird/squirrel feeders outside the hide.
Family of PMs visited regularly last season too.
Apparently they are doing pretty well in that area.
Has anyone seen them in the Bennachie/Pitfichie area?

[Rick Goater]

I've recently written a brief blog account of Pine Marten sightings close to and just about at, the east coast south of Montrose. Check out "Goaters Blog" on the Applied Ecology Ltd website in a week's time, by which time our updated website will be up and running.