The stone marten was almost extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. The reason for this was his beautiful fur, which was coveted for clothing. Martens are no longer hunted for their fur. But are they protected? Find out here whether martens are protected.

Martens may not be hunted arbitrarily

Are martens under nature protection?

Martens are not under nature protection in Germany, Switzerland or Austria. However, that doesn't mean you can hunt them down or even kill them at will. Martens are subject to the hunting law and may only be hunted, caught or even killed by hunters.

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pine marten endangered

In contrast to its relative stone marten, pine martens are rarely seen in close proximity to humans. However, their fur is nicer than that of the destructive beech marten, which is why they have been hunted for centuries. Although the practice is less common today, pine martens are listed as "Vulnerable" on the federal Red List. Nevertheless, it is not under nature protection and may be hunted by hunters from mid-October to the end of February.

Be sure to note the closed season

For several months, young martens depend on their mother, who first feeds them and later introduces them to the environment. During this time it is absolutely forbidden - even for hunters - to hunt or even kill martens. Penalties of up to €5000 or even imprisonment await perpetrators who do not observe the closed season.

expel martens

Of course, you don't have to live with a marten on the roof. Various scents can prevent martens from looking for a hiding place and above all with bars and fences martens can be kept away. You can find out more about home remedies for martens by following the link.

Animals under protection

There are 478 vertebrates on the red list of endangered native animals in Germany (list from 2009). There is no list of animals that are explicitly protected.
Here is a selection of the mammals native to Germany that are on the Red List:

  • brown bear
  • European mink
  • field hamster
  • hare
  • otter
  • Hedgehog
  • lynx
  • wolf

tips

When you think of martens, you probably have a stone or pine marten in mind, although polecats, stoats, badgers, weasels and other animals also belong to this family of canine predators. However, none of these animals are protected. An exception is the otter, which also belongs to the marten family, and the European mink, which have long been on the Red List of endangered animals.

Category:

Animals in the garden