Do you have a fish pond in the garden and suddenly there are no fish? A cat is probably not behind it, they are very afraid of water. But could it have been a marten? Do martens even go into the water? Find out below whether martens can swim.
Do martens go into the water?
Martens can swim well and therefore go into the water to steal fish from ponds. Real martens such as stone martens and pine martens tend to avoid water, while other marten species such as otters or badgers are not afraid.
Can martens swim?
The answer is a clear: yes. Martens can swim very well, which unfortunately means that fish are not safe from them. However, real martens don't particularly like water. In addition to the real marten, of which the stone marten and pine marten are the most common here, there are also species of the marten family that like to steal fish from the pond:
- Otter
- Badgers
- Ermine
- Weasel
- Pikelet etc.
Keep martens away from the pond
If a marten has discovered that there are delicious fish to be found in your pond, it is not unlikely that he will come back. That's why you should think about a defense system. Spiked fences are an option, but they don't look nice and can injure people and animals. The situation is similar with electric fences. A better option are pasture fences or scarecrows, preferably with motion detectors. Since martens are mainly active at night, they can also be scared away with light.
Tip
Ultrasound against fish
Ultrasonic devices are available from specialist retailers (€29.00 on Amazon) which emit a noise that we cannot hear and which keeps martens and other animals away. Before buying, find out whether the noise also bothers your fish! If you have pets, you should avoid purchasing such a device.–Can martens swim?-Yes, martens are good swimmers and like to steal fish from the pond.-However, real martens do not like water; other marten species don't mind.-You can keep martens away from the pond with pasture fences or marten deterrents.
