Pine martens: good or bad for the countryside?

What are the politics of the pine marten? This tough little omnivore was once the terror of chicken houses. Now it is the subject of reintroduction programmes across the UK, will those days come back? And what's its effect on pheasants. News editor Ben O'Rourke talks to pine marten enthusiasts and gamekeepers to gauge reaction.

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[lasigna]

A native animal is ALWAYS good for the countryside.

[TheDizastarmaster]

They are reasonably common in Scotland where I work. Terrible for free range chicken but great to have around in the wild

[eharvy]

loved all the information Connor bought to the video

[theotheseaeagle]

I say bring them back. Who cares about a few pheasants, it’s not like they are a native bird anyway. In fact pheasants do more damage to the countryside than good and can even pass on bird flu to both wild birds and to domestic ones when they enter poultry farms

[travisbickle]

If Pine Martens are so well hidden and evasive how were they hunted to near extinction? I cant see bringing back a native animal as a bad thing.

[jerrychicken]

I think over population might not be an issue as they're very territorial. They usually live on their own and are very protective about their patch. Think Wildcats are being hit by Cat Flu so it's impossible to suggest anything there. The same with Rabbits, coping with rhd. Diseases seem to be a factor now 😬

[garybillington]

Apex predator, ferret on steroids, stunning little animal.

[paulreynolds]

If there under ground you will never get a signal and could only be a hundred feet away.

[forestdweller]

How can you even ask if pine martens are "good for the countryside"....showing a barren landscape. It was not or never a terror for chickens.

[setthestandardsimracing]

They were here for a reason so let them thrive I say! Every animal has its place they don't evolve somewhere they don't belong simple as that really we need them back in the wild to control its prey volumes

[johnballantyne]

They just ‘turned up’ in my woodland, no one asked me about them, but they destroyed dozens of Pheasant poults in my pens before i could secure them against them. As if the local Foxes and Badgers weren’t enough for me to worry about, but at least they don’t climb in in the dark like the Pinemartins do. Thanks for nothing.

[robinhazell]

I HATE so called FIEDSPORTS. It is only a sport when both sides know they're in the game.

[gazwit]

No pinemartins were i live 177 work's for grey illegal immigration

[kooga]

Bad, no more ground breeders, rabbits. Yes hares will still be about at the cost of what?

[outoftownr]

Would u want a cat sized stoat runnin about your pheasant poults ?

[David-wszr]

There vermin chewed there way through my chicken coop and killed the lot

[ripbbl]

Stupid idea!
They eat EVERYTHING!!!
including your fences, sheds and wooden beams in your loft...

not to forget the wiring in your cars

Don't get me wrong, I think they're quite cute
B U T
they are worse than rats!!!