Resources

The pine marten is native to Ireland and is one of our rarest mammals. Once common throughout the country, by the 20th century this species had become extinct from the majority of the island, surviving only in a few isolated and fragmented populations, mainly in the west. This decline was the result of hunting of martens for their fur, loss of habitat and both direct and indirect poisoning and persecution.

Practical measures to protect and benefit the pine marten. This leaflet aims to provide guidance on how to assess and minimise potential impacts of forest operations on the pine marten and recommend a set of measures to benefit martens that can be use d by forest managers and owners.

VWT established a permanent presence in Ireland in 1995 and the majority of our work has been centered on the bat species, and in particular the lesser horseshoe bat. Today, our work in Ireland has a broader remit and focuses not only on the bat species but also on other mammals in need; in particular members of the Mustelid family, which includes the pine marten and the stoat.

This leaflet, produced as part of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Conservation Project, was produced to describe the actions of the project but also to list other actions that farmers can take to promote the conservation of the lesser horseshoe bat.

A guide to the native and non-native small mustelids of Ireland – the pine marten, Irish stoat, otter, American mink and ferret.

Our 2020-2030 strategy sets out the next ten years of conserving threatened mammals using scientifically sound research. We continue to be a catalyst for innovative conservation as we work with new species, new partnerships and new areas.