Pine marten shuts off Scottish climbing routes

The rare pine marten. Image by Walmart / CC BY 2.0

Two popular climbing routes near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands have been closed off by a pine marten. The small omnivorous mammals are protected by UK law — they almost became extinct in the 19th century, although numbers have risen in recent years. The routes, the Ephemeral Artery and Venus Return, were closed after a female pine marten set up a den near the top of a crag. The elusive omnivores can give birth to up to five young during April. Read more: bbc.co.uk