Urban stone marten (Martes foina)-human conflicts: A longitudinal survey-based approach to a persistent challenge

Although stone martens (Martes foina) are widely recognised for causing urban property damage, including damage done when entering and tearing up car engine compartments, the human dimensions of these conflicts remain largely understudied. Based on interviews with local car mechanics in Kraków conducted in 2010 and 2023, we explored the long-term human-stone marten interaction through the lens of the car damage conflict. Contrary to expectations of increased conflicts with rising car registrations, the research found that while the total number of reported incidents slightly increased from 1135 in 2010 to 1219 in 2023 but did not differ significantly (p=0.8) between the years. The conflict rate, when adjusted for the number of registered cars, significantly decreased. Specifically, the adjusted conflict count dropped from 321 in 2010 to 270 in 2023 (p<0.01), despite continued urban expansion and vehicle ownership growth. A notable shift in 2023 was the official inclusion of marten repellents by car manufacturers, indicating the perceived importance of this issue. Car owners, even more than interviewed mechanics, appeared to view stone martens as a growing threat, leading to increased use of countermeasures and an increase in their availability at licensed providers, although their effectiveness lacked consensus among respondents. The study concludes by advocating for future research to prioritise stone martens, recognising their overlooked importance in urban human-wildlife conflict studies.