American Marten

About the American Marten

The American marten (Martes americana), also known as the American pine marten, is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. The species is sometimes referred to as simply the pine marten. The name "pine marten" is derived from the common name of the related but distinct Eurasian species, Martes martes. Martes americana is found throughout Canada and parts of the northern United States including Alaska. It is a long, slender-bodied marten, with fur ranging from yellowish to brown to near black. It may be confused with the fisher (Pekania pennanti), but the marten is lighter in color and smaller. Identification of the marten is further eased by a characteristic bib that is a distinctly different color from the body. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, with males being much larger.

These martens are omnivorous and their diet varies by season, but they rely chiefly on small mammals, such as voles. They are solitary except during the midsummer breeding season. Embryonic implantation is delayed until late winter, however, with a litter of one to five kits born the following spring. Young stay with the mother in a constructed den until the fall, and they reach sexual maturity by one year old.

Their sable-like fur made them a thoroughly trapped species during the height of the North American fur trade. Trapping peaked in 1820, and populations were depleted until after the turn of the century. Populations have rebounded since, with them being considered a species of least concern by the IUCN, but they remain extirpated from some areas of the Northeast, and of the seven subspecies, one is threatened. Wikipedia →