January 2026 Talk
​In January, Marcus Ward of Wild New Forest gave us a fascinating talk about pine martens, a cat-sized member of the weasel family. After being absent for decades, pine martens are now present across the New Forest and successfully breeding.
Marcus and his team have been monitoring these shy nocturnal creatures over several years, with 30 hidden cameras in 11 different parts of the New Forest to observe how these protected creatures are returning to the area. The study began after a number of reports of public sightings, including DNA analysis of two roadkill martens which were found to have Scottish origins.
Marcus’s presentation showed us some superb video clips of pine martens in their natural habitats around the forest. The talk was followed by an enthusiastic Q&A session.
In keeping with our approach to matching talks to events members have the opportunity to sign up for a wildlife walk hosted by Marcus on 25th June. This will be led by Athol Hyland. Details have been added to the Website and it is now bookable on the Events booking page in the members area.
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