T: 01492 532938
E: info@welshmountainzoo.org
Old Highway, Colwyn Bay, Conwy,
North Wales, LL28 5UY
CONSERVATION HIGHLIGHT FOR ZOO WITH ARRIVAL OF BABY PINE MARTIN
- 29th July 2019
- Kaitlyn Jenkins
The Welsh Mountain Zoo – National Zoo of Wales is celebrating the arrival of the a locally very rare and endangered first baby Pine Martin, the first born at the Zoo in 15 years.
The Zoo has kept and bred Pine Martins for many years and is involved in national breeding programmes with the aim of increasing numbers in local native populations.
The Zoo is committed to the conservation of endangered species and collaborates with organisations across the world for the development of captive breeding programmes. The recent birth of the first Pine Martin from our current pairing at the Zoo provides opportunity for involvement with a wider reintroduction project, which will be taking place in North Wales.
Kim Wood, Director of Living Collections at the Welsh Mountain Zoo explained: “Pine Martins are native to North Wales, however, numbers severely declined during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and have failed to recover. To manage this, a reintroduction programme was recently approved involving the release of captive bred Pine Martins into their historic range, with the aim of increasing the wild population and improving genetic diversity.
“Our current pair of Pine Martens have been here at the Zoo for two years and this recent birth is a definite cause for celebration.
Dr. Craig Shuttleworth, of Gwynedd Pine Marten Project, said: “We are delighted to hear about the breeding success which is a great step in the restoration of native pine martens to North Wales. The Gwynedd project has learned a great deal from the Vincent Wildlife Trust pine marten work in Mid Wales and we will offer volunteers the chance to be involved in every stage of our release programme."
