LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - A marten's poor choice in housing location added some excitement to the Fort Simpson schoolyards on Nov. 15.

This marten was captured and relocated after it tried to make a home for itself at Thomas Simpson School. Wildlife officers with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are reminding residents to not approach wildlife when they see them for safety reasons and to contact the department if necessary. - photo courtesy of Kelly Pennycook/Environment and Natural Resources

Kelly Pennycook, a renewable resource officer, got an unusual call on Monday to investigate a reported sighting of a marten at Thomas Simpson School.

The school, located on the village's main street, was an unusual location for a marten, a species that is normally anti-social and prefers wooded areas, Pennycook said.

Arriving at the school in the afternoon, however, Pennycook found marten tracks in the snow approximately three days old.

The animal had taken advantage of the snowbanks that line the school's outer walls to burrow tunnels on three sides of the building.

"It looks like it had set up a nice little infrastructure for itself," he said.

Judging by the extensive nature of the tunnels Pennycook estimates the marten had been living around and under the school for at least a week.

The marten made an appearance shortly afterwards while Pennycook was in the school speaking with a teacher.

The marten popped its head out of an entrance and was about to run along a wall when both a raven and a dog spotted it.

"He dove back into one of his tunnels," Pennycook said.

Pennycook's efforts to trap the marten were hindered by the end of the school day.

He'd set one live trap using a lure to draw the animal in when elementary students, who were waiting for the bus, saw the marten and started shouting.

A large group of children were trying to chase the animal and had it cornered along the schoolyard's fence.

The animal managed to escape the yard and ran towards the recreation centre.

Pennycook followed with a trap and after placing it on the ground he allowed the marten to calm down before shooing it into the trap.

Wildlife should not be harassed because it only stresses animals and makes them more violent, Pennycook said.

When confronted marten can be vicious and have sharp teeth and claws and considerable strength, he said.

"All wildlife should be left alone and handled by experts," Pennycook said.

After doing a visual check to ensure the animal was all right Pennycook drove it approximately 40 km up the road to Wrigley before releasing it.

Pennycook said he's still surprised by the incident.

"It's the first one around here in years," he said about the marten.

Freda Blyth, Thomas Simpson School's principal, said she was also surprised by the school's unusual guest.

"I thought they were shy and didn't like people," Blyth said.

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