A small native Irish mammal has entered the digital age by getting its own website. Although present in every county in Ireland, the pine marten is still one of Ireland’s rarest mammals and is legally protected.
A newly released website – www.pinemarten.ie – provides information on pine martens in Ireland.
It is the result of a partnership between Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
Commenting on the launch of the new website, Dr. Kate McAney of VWT said: “Both VWT and NPWS have been dealing with an increasing number of calls from the general public seeking information and advice about the pine marten.
“We then decided that the best way to make this available was via a dedicated website. Interactions between the public and pine martens are inevitable due to the lack of suitable woodland.
These interactions can be managed to the satisfaction of both human and marten, helped by access to accurate information.
In addition to providing facts on identification, distribution, habitat and ecology, the website offers practical advice on how to deal with situations such as a pine marten in an attic.
Also welcoming the website’s launch, Dr. Ferdia Marnell of NPWS said: “The absence of reliable information on the pine marten in Ireland was identified as a major obstacle to the conservation of the species.
“We are delighted to see this information hub fill that gap.”
A statement from VWT concluded: “This welcome resource will add to the crucial work needed to increase wildlife biodiversity on both a national and global scale.”