Pine martens (Martes martes) were once common and widespread in Britain, but they have a preference for mature forest habitat, and the historical loss and fragmentation of much of our woodland, with tree cover reduced to some 5% by the beginning of the 20th century, greatly impacted them. Added to this loss of habitat, the 18th and 19th centuries saw a severe decline in the marten population, largely due to increases in predator control for game preservation on sporting estates. By the beginning of the 20th century, this native mammal was extinct in almost all of southern Britain.
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