27/08/2026
🐾 This one's a long read, so please bear with me! Most of the time, when I post a picture or video of a pine marten (here's another snapshot from one of my trailcam videos), I receive a wave of negative comments. Take a look at my previous post here on Facebook - insults, swearing, incitement to harm wildlife. I even received a few threats directed at me personally by private message. You won't find the worst comments anymore, since I've had to block quite a few abusive people and their content is automatically removed from the page. I don't give these comments much weight, but I want to lay out a few important points about pine martens here.
I know the species is somewhat controversial, and we're all entitled to share our opinions, as long as they're expressed politely (and best if backed by arguments or experiences). For standing my ground, I've been called a "green-agenda brainwashed sanctimonious vegan tree-hugger" and much worse (while in reality, I enjoy the occasional steak and I only hug trees once or twice a week on average... 😬). Anyone who knows me will know I'm actually fairly easygoing, open-minded, and I'm not reluctant to apologise or admit when I get something wrong. That said, here are the points I want to make.
1. Pine marten vs American mink
This mix-up comes up quite often. The pine marten is a native Irish species - it's been part of our ecosystems for thousands of years, and its recent recovery follows decades of near-extinction. The American mink is a different animal: a non-native species introduced through the fur trade, which escaped or was (foolishly) released into the wild, establishing populations that cause well-documented ecological damage. The two get confused constantly, partly because they're both dark, slender mustelids. As a result, complaints about mink overpopulation, mink predation, or mink management often get redirected at pine martens, a species that's still recovering in many areas. If you're not sure which one you're looking at, it's worth checking before assigning blame - the difference matters, both ecologically and legally.
2. The hypocrisy
I regularly get comments along the lines of "we should cull pine martens, they harm wildlife and pets" from cat owners, or "they're vicious, they kill for fun" from hunters, or again "they're killers" from farmers. Do these people see the irony? Domestic cats do vastly more damage to wildlife than pine martens ever will. Plus, pine martens do not "kill wildlife" - they ARE wildlife. And then there are hunters, of all people, accusing pine martens of killing "for fun"? It's hard to take that seriously. Finally, farmers blame a predator for killing to feed itself - but how is that any different from butchering an animal for meat? Lots of hypocrisy out there, but, and I want to stress this, not ALL pet owners, hunters and farmers are like this - thank God - I do not want to generalise.
3. They do NOT kill "for fun"
I've explained this many times, but here it is again. The idea that pine martens are "vicious" or "evil" usually comes from cases where one sneaks into a chicken coop and kills every bird inside. That's not malice - it's a well-documented natural behaviour called surplus killing.
In the wild, food is scarce, so many predators, martens included, are hardwired to strike at anything that moves. When a marten gets into an enclosed coop, the birds panic and flap frantically, which overstimulates its hunting instinct and keeps it attacking until the movement stops. Under natural conditions, it would cache the extra food to eat later, but in a coop it's usually startled or exhausted into fleeing before it can do that.
It's a survival strategy triggered by an artificial, human-made environment that has no equivalent in nature. It is not cruelty; it does not make them "vicious"; it is not done for "fun". Most predators, including many cats and dogs, would behave the same way under the same conditions.
4. Persecution is NOT the answer
In some areas, habitat is too fragmented or degraded for a balanced ecosystem to function, and that takes time to fix. But my opinion is that the answer isn't a return to persecuting predators, which we got badly wrong in the past. The answer is rewilding: restoring genuine, functioning habitats as quickly and widely as we can.
5. Why the resentment?
My view: much of the dislike for pine martens might come down to the simple fact that they're resourceful, elusive, brilliantly adapted predators. They're excellent climbers, able to squeeze through tiny gaps, and very hard to keep out. Truly fascinating animals. Humans tend to dislike or resent what they can't control, and I think some people feel resentful of being outmatched by a little wild animal that's simply very good at what it does.
Protecting livestock from predators isn't easy, but it is a farmer's responsibility, and it's one humans have managed for thousands of years across the world. Much the same story as sheep and wolves in continental Europe. If a marten gets into your hens, the answer is to secure them better next time, not to resent the wild animal for doing what predators do to survive. Wildlife shouldn't pay the price for our shortcomings. Not just because it's illegal to harm them, but because it's simply wrong to punish an animal for following its instinct to feed itself and its young.
That's my opinion. I will stand by it, and you are free to disagree, but I believe I'm entitled to hold it without facing mockery, insults, or threats.
Finally, thank you so much to all who sent comments or messages of support - your words are truly appreciated. 🙏
