AFTER a century when it disappeared from much of Britain, one of Scotland's rarest carnivores is showing encouraging signs of recovery, according to a new report.

Woodland clearance, trapping and persecution saw the pine marten disappear in most of England and Wales, and by 1915 the North West Highlands was one of the few areas where it still survived.

But now the animals have moved south and east. From Argyll to Aberdeenshire, and Caithness and Sutherland to the central belt, the pine marten is proving that rare mammals can recover their numbers, given the right conditions.

A survey by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT), published this week, shows the pine marten population – 3500 in Scotland – has regained ground across much of the country. It is now re-colonising areas from which it has been absent for more than 100 years.

The VWT's survey co-ordinator Lizzie Croose said: "At a time when some native mammals are declining it is fantastic to see the pine marten population is recovering and expanding its range in Scotland. Pine martens are still absent from much of Britain so the recovery is significant."

The species was given full legal protection in 1988 and following the expansion of plantation forest cover during the last century, it is making a comeback across much of its former Scottish range.

This latest survey was carried out last summer when surveyors collected pine marten droppings along survey areas on woodland tracks and paths.

It showed that pine martens are now present in Caithness, Moray, much of Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire and Angus, and parts of Fife. They have also moved south into southern Argyll, the Trossachs, much of Stirlingshire and some parts of the central belt.

Rob Raynor, mammals advisor at Scottish Natural Heritage, said: "This is good news for one of Scotland's most iconic animals and it is reassuring this formerly rare mammal is making a comeback."

Ms Croose said the issue was underlined by the discovery of a pine marten killed on a road near Newtown in Mid Wales. "The last known carcass in Wales before that was in 1971. Only two carcasses in 40 years just showed how low the level has been in Wales," she said.