Pfotenhilfe Lochen

Injured baby marten found in garden

The baby marten has several bite wounds on its head.(Bild: Pfotenhilfe Lochen)

A baby marten was discovered injured in a garden on the border with Upper Austria. It is now being nursed back to health at Pfotenhilfe Lochen.

Managing Director Johanna Stadler discovered several bite wounds on the head and treated the little marten. The injuries were probably caused by a dog. The vet x-rayed the head to be sure, as pus had leaked from one eye, but did not diagnose a fracture.

"The baby needs a lot of rest now, but is on the mend and is also eating well. As soon as it is fit again, it will join a baby marten of the same age, which I have been rearing with the bottle since March," says Stadler. "Then the two will be allowed to move into a large aviary, where they will be prepared for the wild."

Martens are important for the ecosystem
Even if car drivers are not marten friends: The animals are an important part of the ecosystem because, like foxes or badgers, they are predators that mainly prey on weak-reaction and sick animals, making them part of nature's "health police". This means that only healthy and strong animals can reproduce.