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Elusive pine marten returns to the Forest of Dean
“As native omnivores, pine martens play a vital role in the delicate balance of woodland ecosystems."

Woodland creature has not been seen in the forest since 1860 

The elusive pine marten, once widespread thought the UK, has been reintroduced to the Forest of Dean.

Eighteen of the creatures were successfully released into the forest between August and September. The pine martens were moved from Scotland and fitted with tracking collars.

Their activity will now be closely monitored by Dr Catherine McNicol from Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.


“Pine martens are elusive and shy animals, with their presence often only indicated by scats in the middle of forestry tracks,” Dr McNicol explained. 


“They only give birth to a few kits each year if breeding is even successful, so the rate of marten population recovery in the UK is low. It is hoped that their protection, alongside these reintroductions, will give them the boost they need to become resilient and thrive.”


With their slim bodies and long, bushy tails, pine martens were once common throughout Britain. However, extensive hunting together with the loss of habitat has resulted in their near extinction in England. The last official sighting of a pine marten in the Forest of Dean was 1860.


Historically, pine martens were pushed to the outer edges of the UK, becoming Britain’s second rarest carnivore. Eventually, their only remaining stronghold was in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. 


Conservationists hope the animals will repopulate the forest and, eventually, spread and merge with the recently-introduced Welsh pine martens. The project will be overseen by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Forestry England, Vincent Wildlife Trust and Forest Research.

Rebecca Wilson from Forestry England said: “As native omnivores, pine martens play a vital role in the delicate balance of woodland ecosystems. Living at low densities in the landscape, they forage on fruit, fungi and a range of prey including the grey squirrel, a non-native species which is having a detrimental impact on broadleaf woodland throughout England.

“We are looking forward to working with volunteers, local communities and partner organisations to monitor how the pine martens are moving throughout the Forest of Dean and the wider landscape.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.