Pine martens, a species of mammal related to weasels and badgers, were once common throughout Britain. But sadly, due to habitat loss in recent centuries, their numbers were greatly reduced — bordering on the brink of extinction.
Thanks to conservation efforts, pine martens have begun to make a comeback, but sightings of these shy animals remain rare.
“Unfortunately, pine martens are notoriously difficult to spot,” Charlie Mellor of the Woodland Trust wrote. “They are so elusive that they are often studied via footprints, droppings and bits of lost fur rather than by direct sightings.”
Recently, however, footage has emerged hinting at a lesser-discussed aspect of pine marten behavior — that they know how to have a good time.
Les Humphrey lives in Scotland, near the northern tip of Great Britain. There, he has a motion-sensing camera pointed out toward his garden to monitor for pine martens passing through.
The other day, Humphrey shared an amusing clip of one such visit with the group Mammal Society, capturing two pine martens having an absolute blast with child playthings in his yard — jumping and swinging like a pair of rambunctious kids.
“This has become a nightly ritual,” Humphrey wrote.
Pine martens caught on camera playing on children's swingset in Ardnamurchan, Scotland. The owner of the video, Les Humphreys, tells us this is a nightly occurence in his garden.
— Mammal Society (@Mammal_Society) February 28, 2024
Credit: Les Humphreys, Ardnamurchan Wildlife Watch Facebook Group#pinemarten #wildlifephotography pic.twitter.com/rXTj8h1HqW