Pine Marten Surveys in Scotland

Pine Marten, Martes martes, is the second rarest carnivore in the UK, they are found in a wide selection of habitats, mainly heavily wooded or forested. In recent years the population based in the Scottish Highlands has begun to expand heading south as far as Fife and the Central Belt. 

Pine Marten legal protection

Pine Martens are legally protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, in Scotland this is amended by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

Pine Marten surveys

The Wildlife Survey Unit undertakes Pine Marten surveys throughout Scotland including Inverness, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Argyll, Angus, Perthshire, Caithness and Dumfries and Galloway.

Pine Martens are shy and elusive creatures, largely nocturnal, which makes surveying for them difficult. The Wildlife Survey Unit offers the following survey techniques:

• Collate available desk records from the Local Biological Records Centre
• Habitat Appraisal
• Camera-trapping
• DNA analysis of suspected Pine Marten scats

We also have SNH licensed surveyors for examination of potential den sites.

Pine Martens and development

Where disturbance to a den is unavoidable, a licence may be applied for, however this would only be issued:

• If the activity authorised by the licence will contribute to a significant social, economic or environmental benefit.

• Or, if there is no satisfactory alternative solution.

Pine Marten information

The following websites have more information on Pine Martens:

SNH's Pine Martens and Licensing webpage
SNH Pine Marten Information
SNH's Expansion zone survey of Pine Marten
CIEEM's Competencies for Pine Marten Survey
Vincent Wildlife Trust's Webpage on Pine Marten Projects

Get a quote

Pine Marten (Martes martes)

Typical autumn scat with deep purple colouring from eaten berries

Pine Marten tracks in the snow

Pine Marten caught on camera trap