Irelands Super Predator

[EDDIE B 3,166]

Lol. Well all this talk about predators, I said i'd start a little conversation about the elusive Pine Marten. Love them or hate em, you gotta admire them. I mean, they are a fantastic predator ain't they. They can hunt on the ground, in tree's, can swim out to Islands to raid nests etc. Will tackle prey much larger than themselves, and even chase down a hare if it gets the opportunity.

 

They are a thing of real beauty, but also very destructive if populations are too high. Very much protected here of course.

 

They are still seen as Irelands rarest animal, but where I live, they are far from rare. In fact, some area's here in the Midlands, your liable to see more Pine Marten than you would fox. More killed on the roads too.

 

My old friend Ditch sent me this picture. He has them nesting in his chimney. He's had them before, maybe same one.

 

 

He knows how plentiful they are here. He see's them quite regular too.

 

Personally I like to see them, but in numbers like we have, a lot of other species has to suffer to feed this population. I think a balance is the key.

Edited April 23, 2017 by EDDIE B

[Malt 379]

The 'Ditch?' If so thats probably not a piney, its the f**king mink he's been trying to catch for the last decade taking the piss out of him!

[EDDIE B 3,166]

The 'Ditch?' If so thats probably not a piney, its the f**king mink he's been trying to catch for the last decade taking the piss out of him!

A he was right when he said half of you lot wouldn't know what a Piney looked like lol

Edited April 23, 2017 by EDDIE B

[scothunter 12,609]

See one most mornings there pretty common up here

[cantona 310]

Anyone seen one in Warwickshire ?

[Daniel cain 46,019]

Seen plenty up in the highlands-bit of a pest from what the keepers and old boys were telling us-got some pics somewhere I dug them out. Atb dc

[gnasher16 30,281]

Had we not better have the Official THL Independent Adjudicator ( Socks ) to formally identify this animal before we all start jumping to conclusions.......it looks more like a squirrel to me.

[the scudd 82]

i have seen a few of them up in the north.

seem to be getting more common

[scothunter 12,609]

Had we not better have the Official THL Independent Adjudicator ( Socks ) to formally identify this animal before we all start jumping to conclusions.......it looks more like a squirrel to me.

I thought it was a magpie with its wings pulled off.

@daniel yea they are a pest by all accounts. Guy i work with hates them.He has had his chickens taken along with the eggs aswell. Its funny watching his reaction when you mention them lol

[Lab 10,979]

Don't get them in fife but there was one around my place a few years back. My neighbour said he saw it, I actually thought he was mistaken because they are not around here. But I seen it myself one day.

I don't know if someone has let it go around this area.

[j j m 6,555]

interesting little chap

[jiggy 3,209]

Seen one this morning walking the dogs. The terriers chased after it and hadn't a hope of catching it. Them little boys can move when running through cover. They are as common as foxes here now.

[Po.k 34]

there a few in local forrest carpark but it not somewhere you could hang about with a camcorder

Any dogging going on larry ?

Edited April 23, 2017 by Po.k

[Accip74 7,112]

Very common here, along with Beech Martens.......those fcukers get in your motor & cause damage, it's happened to me!

 

Seeing one after being here a year was a buzz, but I've realised since, after a while, they are just common vermin in a lot of places.........I've had to deal with one myself.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Accip74

[keepdiggin 9,561]

Silly question but would a terrier dispatch of one?