Pine marten numbers almost double in Northern Ireland

Pine martens are related to stoats

If you haven't seen one of these creatures before, don't worry you're not alone, they are extremely rare in the UK.

But a new report has found that the number of pine martens in Northern Ireland has almost doubled since 2017.

Extensive hunting and a loss of their woodland habitat are the reasons for their rarity.

Ross McIlwrath from Ulster Wildlife, which is behind the report, says it's fantastic to see them in areas where "they haven't been seen for many years".

The study has found pine marten numbers have almost doubled in Northern Ireland since 2017

The survey in 2022 used camera traps and squirrel feeders to look at pine martens, red squirrels and grey squirrels across 218 woodlands.

Pine martens were present in almost double the number of sites compared to a survey in 2017 and could be found throughout all six counties in Northern Ireland.

Ulster Wildlife says the recovery in pine marten numbers is hoped to boost the red squirrel population.

It is asking people to help with its conservation efforts by reporting any sightings of pine martens and red or grey squirrels.

Pine martens were found in all six counties in Northern Ireland