AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into a pine marten reported to have been illegally held captive in Gwynedd.
On October 3, officers from North Wales Police’s Rural Crime Team attended a property in Dolgellau with volunteers from The Wildlife Trusts, and seized the small animal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
It was later placed into a quarantine enclosure as enquiries continue.
The pine marten is protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and has made a recovery in Wales after being released into mid Wales between 2015 and 2018.
A North Wales Police spokesperson said: “Their population in North Wales is fragmented and small, and they are mainly found in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands, and Ireland.
“Mostly chestnut-brown in colour, the pine marten has a characteristic pale yellow 'bib' on its chin and throat, and has a long, bushy tail.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here