Letter: Narrow views on pine martens

SIR – Mr Whitfield has a disciple in his anti-pine marten philosophy; Mr Walsh has the same narrow view on the subject of the marten (Letters, 16th December).

They eat what is plentiful at the time and 30% of their diet is fruit, in season, such as rowan, blackberry or sloe.

Yes, they do take young birds and eggs, including those of the corvids and they are partial to grey squirrel. In all they regulate their own population, with the food supply being the governor, and if there is not plentiful food, they will not breed.

They are slow breeders at the best of times, not starting until they are three or four years old.

Sadly, like all of the mustelid family, the Victorian gamekeepers wiped them out, as they took the pheasant and partridge which were rigorously preserved for the wealthy landowners to shoot, and the marten could not be allowed to spoil their fun.

This was as well as anything with a hooked beak or canine teeth, which decorated the gibbits in order for the boss to see the job was being done.

C. E. Lock,
Everton