Rare Pine Marten Spotted in Somerset After 100 Years, Captured on Camera

In an extraordinary wildlife sighting, a pine marten—absent from Somerset for over a century—has been captured on camera in the Mendip Hills. The footage was taken by A Patch Wilder, a conservation project dedicated to managing 15 acres of grassland and woodland to support nature and wildlife.

On Tuesday, September 23, a trail camera set up by the project unexpectedly recorded the elusive pine marten, a species thought extinct in the South West and much of England for over 100 years.

Charlie Fayers from A Patch Wilder shared with SomersetLive, “Pine martens have been extinct from the South West for more than a century. Although reintroductions have recently occurred in places like the Forest of Dean, Exmoor, and Dartmoor, all of these are located more than 50 miles from the Mendip Hills. We’re unsure where this individual has come from, but we hope it settles here and brings others along.”

He added, “The Mendip Hills offer ideal habitat for pine martens, with abundant woodland, food sources, and den sites. Yet, we never imagined seeing one so soon after starting the project five years ago. This sighting is undoubtedly our most exciting surprise to date, and we eagerly await more.”

Pine martens are medium-sized mustelids, measuring about half a meter long, and play an important role in controlling populations of prey such as grey squirrels. While rare pine marten sightings have occasionally been reported across Somerset in recent years, it remains uncertain if a breeding population exists. According to Fayers, this could be the first confirmed sighting in the Mendip Hills in at least 100 years.

A Patch Wilder continues to manage land for the benefit of local wildlife and aims to foster connections between people and nature, making moments like this remarkable pine marten sighting all the more special.