A DROP-in session is being held in Porlock on Friday (May 19) for people to learn more about plans to reintroduce ‘critically endangered’ pine martens to Exmoor.

Devon Wildlife Trust will give a presentation and take questions in the village hall for anybody interested from 1.45 pm, with anybody else invited to just call in from 3 pm.

It follows the launch of a university survey of people’s views on the proposals which will run until next month.

The project, on which the Free Press reported last summer, hopes to take 30 to 40 pine martens from Scotland and start releasing them on Exmoor in the autumn of next year and in 2025.

Now, the University of Exeter is researching public attitudes toward the scheme being promoted by the Two Moors Partnership, which includes Exmoor National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust, National Trust, and Dartmoor National Park Authority.

The researchers want to better understand public attitudes to the proposed reintroduction of pine martens on Exmoor and elsewhere in the Westcountry, and how views might differ between groups of people.

Pine martens were thought to have lived ion Exmoor until about the late 1800s. Populations remain in Scotland, and they have already been reintroduced to parts of Wales and the Forest of Dean.

After 150 years, pine martens could be making a return to Exmoor.
After 150 years, pine martens could be making a return to Exmoor. (Mark Hamblin)

The Two Moors Partnership is also leading a series of workshops with stakeholder groups and local communities in the proposed release areas.

The Exeter University survey is open to all Westcountry residents aged 16 and older and is open until 9 am on Monday, June 5.

Pine martens are members of the weasel family and were once Britain’s second most common carnivore, but today are the second least common.

The nocturnal animals grow to about the size of a small cat, are wonderful tree climbers, and mostly live alone in sparse populations.

They eat voles and other small creatures including mice, squirrels, birds, and insects as well as wild fruits.

Before being released on Exmoor, a vet would give the pine martens a full health check and they would be fitted with a radio-collar to allow them to be tracked.

After release, the animals would be closely monitored so their location and movements would be known.