The Conservation Management of Pine Marten in Fragmented Landscapes

摘要: Following heavy persecution during the early 1900’s, Pine marten (Martes martes) have been slowly recovering their former range in Scotland. Pine marten are generally viewed as forest specialists; however evidence suggests that marten in the UK may benefit from gaps in forest cover which is due, in part, to their unique diet. In contrast to pine marten found in mainland Europe, pine marten in the UK show a strong dietary preference for field voles which are found in tussock grassland. Open areas within the forest may therefore benefit pine marten by allowing opportunities to hunt their preferred prey.The findings so far are, however, based on a relatively small number of sites within Scotland due to the difficulty in assessing population densities of this elusive species. This project will develop survey methods for estimation of population sizes using the collection of hair samples. Assessments will be made of the …