Pine Martens Breed in Dartmoor and Exmoor After Reintroduction Efforts

The Two Moors Pine Marten Project, run by Devon Wildlife Trust, re-introduced 15 endangered pine martens into Dartmoor National Park in 2024 and a further 19 in 2025. The initiative aims to rebuild a sustainable breeding population in the South West, where the species was hunted to extinction over a century ago. The project’s latest press release announced the first visual confirmation that released martens are reproducing on Exmoor, marking a milestone for the re-establishment effort.

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Trail cameras installed by conservation partners and local citizen scientists have captured the animals’ movements. Recent footage shows a female marten with four kits exploring Exmoor woodland, while a separate video from Dartmoor records a mother with two kits. The recordings were supplied by volunteers Tim and Rachael, who operate a Citizen Science Woodland Survey and regularly retrieve camera data from their home area. Their observations, together with data from remote cameras, provide the primary evidence of wild breeding in both locations.

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Ali North, field officer for the Two Moors Pine Marten Project in Exmoor, described the breeding footage as “a wonderful moment” for staff, partners and volunteers, emphasizing the role of community-built den boxes and camera maintenance. Ali Hawkins, senior ecologist with Exmoor National Park Authority, called the result “very positive” but warned that the population remains small and vulnerable, stressing the need for ongoing public support and sighting reports.

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• 2024 release: 15 pine martens in Dartmoor.

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• 2025 release: 19 pine martens in Exmoor.

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• Observed litters: one with four kits (Exmoor) and one with two kits (Dartmoor).

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• Typical litter size for the species: two to three kits.

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Project leaders stress that breeding success does not eliminate the species’ fragility. Continued partnership with local residents, installation of den boxes, and systematic camera monitoring are identified as essential to sustain and expand the fledgling populations across the National Parks.

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• “The news of breeding pine martens marks a wonderful moment for our project staff, our project partners, and the dozens of volunteers who have worked with us to bring this native animal back,” — Ali North

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• “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.” — Courtesy, of Two Moors Pine Marten Project North

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