Pine marten kits have been born on Exmoor for the first time in approximately 100 years, according to newly released footage. This development is a significant indicator of success for conservationists working to re-establish the species in the South West of England.
The discovery comes a year after kits were first filmed on Dartmoor, where a project released 15 pine martens in 2024. These reintroductions represented the first attempt to re-establish a sustainable breeding population of the tree-climbing members of the weasel family in the region since they were hunted to extinction more than a century ago.
Conservationists involved in the project described the pine martens as highly mobile, shy of people, and difficult to observe. Ali North, field officer for the Exmoor project, expressed excitement about the confirmation of kits. "We were incredibly excited to finally see kits after so many months of intensive monitoring," North stated. "This has been a community effort with local people helping us in a series of key tasks ranging from building pine marten den boxes to installing and regularly checking remote cameras."
Despite the breeding success on both Exmoor and Dartmoor, project members caution that the animal's return to the region remains in its early and fragile stages. The intensive monitoring and community involvement were crucial in supporting the delicate comeback of the species.