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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Pine Martens in the New Forest (1 Viewer)

As a side note, the size of woodlands might not be a limiting factor per se - in Northern Germany, the species occurs in relatively small patches of forest interspersed between farmland and hedgerows, in a landscape and climate very similar to parts of England. And that's despite the co-occurrence of Beech Marten (a possible competitor with overlapping habitat preferences), Eagle Owl, and (in some parts) Wolf and/or Lynx. This seems to indicate that the decisive factors are prey availability and suitable nesting sites. Of course, road traffic is also a factor - somehow, mustelids get run over all the time.
 
As a side note, the size of woodlands might not be a limiting factor per se - in Northern Germany, the species occurs in relatively small patches of forest interspersed between farmland and hedgerows, in a landscape and climate very similar to parts of England. And that's despite the co-occurrence of Beech Marten (a possible competitor with overlapping habitat preferences), Eagle Owl, and (in some parts) Wolf and/or Lynx. This seems to indicate that the decisive factors are prey availability and suitable nesting sites. Of course, road traffic is also a factor - somehow, mustelids get run over all the time.
It's possible, but the prevalence of Red Foxes in Britain is also thought to exert an influence, perhaps limiting spread into and through areas without sufficient - and adequate - refuges and den sites. The absence of apex predators (or perhaps more properly keystone species) that would depress mesopredators is a problem not wholly solved by the internal combustion engine.

Andy - the NF population derives from "unofficial" releases some time ago. Given their antipathy to even established immigrants perhaps I should spell out New Forest.

John
 
Pine Marten is also found in the more wooded parts of the Dutch dunes where Red Fox is common and there are no Black Woodpeckers to create nice holes in the (also mostly absent) beech trees. It's quite impressive that they moved over 100 km through the most densely populated parts of the country to settle in the dunes. I see no obstacles in Hampshire!
 
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