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 Yellowstone National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Yellowstone National Park
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Stoat
Mustela erminea
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Coyote
Canis latrans
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Mountain Lion
Puma concolor
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
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 Yellowstone National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Marten sighting in Yellowstone National Park, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pacific Marten in Yellowstone National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Pacific Marten in Yellowstone National Park in our monthly data.