Pacific Marten
Martes caurina
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnivorans)
- FamilyMustelidae (Mustelids)
- GenusMartes (Martens)
- SpeciesMartes caurina (Pacific Marten)
About the Pacific Marten
The Pacific marten (Martes caurina) is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. It is found throughout western North America. The species was formerly considered conspecific with the American marten (M. americana), but several studies using molecular genetics indicate that M. caurina is a distinct species from it, and it has since been recognized as such by the American Society of Mammalogists. The two species also have some morphological differences, with M. caurina having a shorter rostrum and a broader cranial shape. The two species are thought to have diverged during the Last Glacial Maximum after being isolated from one another in glacial refugia.
Seven subspecies have been recognized based on fossil history, cranial analysis, and mitochondrial DNA analysis. None of the subspecies are separable based on morphology, and subspecies taxonomy is usually ignored except with regards to conservation issues centered around subspecies rather than ranges.
Martes caurina subspecies group: M. c. caurina (Merriam) - western British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon; M. c. humboldtensis (Grinnell and Dixon) - northwestern California... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Pacific Marten in Great Bear Rainforest
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Great Bear Rainforest
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Enhydra lutris
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Lontra canadensis
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Mustela erminea
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
Fisher
Pekania pennanti
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
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Phoca vitulina
Northern Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pacific Marten in Great Bear Rainforest?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Marten sighting in Great Bear Rainforest, based on 48 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pacific Marten in Great Bear Rainforest?
February has the highest sighting rate for Pacific Marten in Great Bear Rainforest in our monthly data.