A pine marten in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
© SCOTLAND: The Big Picture/Minden Picture
Playing hide-and-seek in the Cairngorms
Ready or not, here we come! There are plenty of hiding places here in the Cairngorms National Park in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. At 1,748 square miles, it’s the biggest national park in the UK and home to an abundance of wildlife, including the European pine marten, a cat-sized member of the weasel family. The elusive creatures prefer woodland habitats and are adept climbers, spending much of their time in trees, where they can leap over 10 feet between branches in pursuit of squirrels. According to research, pine martens are reducing the population of invasive grey squirrels in Scotland, which is good news for the UK's beleaguered reds, who actually benefit from exposure to their natural predators. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Related Images
Los Alcornocales forest, Málaga, Spain
Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park, California, USA
A carpet of bluebells in beech woodland, Hertfordshire
Male leopard in Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Botswana
Te Matua Ngahere, a giant kauri tree growing in Waipoua Forest, Northland, New Zealand
Bluebells in Micheldever Wood, Hampshire
Silver birch (Betula pendula) woodland, Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, Scotland
Ruffed grouse in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada
Bing Today Images
