AMERICAN MARTEN

 AMERICAN MARTENS ARE GOING TO BE REINTRODUCED IN PENNSYLVANIA.

Here is more information from: https://animalia.bio/american-marten

American martens are small animals, that live in trees. They belong to the same group as skunks and weasels. The marten's body is slim and legs are short. American marten has curved claws that help it to climb quickly. The head is broad and tapers to a pointed nose. It has black eyes and big, rounded ears. The fluffy tail is half-length of its body. Its coat is velvety and stiff, having different shades, from pale buff to dark brown, in different parts of its body. Meanwhile, the summer coat of the marten is light-colored and shorter in length. It has also a creamy to orange-colored “breastplate” on its chest and throat.

American martens are widespread around the northern part of North America. Habitat of martens stretches from the northernmost forests of Alaska and Canada to northern New Mexico, from California to Newfoundland. However, some small populations of American martens are estimated in the American Midwest – Wisconsin and Minnesota. Nevertheless, the major area of martens’ habitat is dense northern forest. These animals live on shore pines, fir trees, and Douglas firs. American martens are more frequently found in mature and impassable forests, at all altitudes. They build their dens in empty hollows, burrows left by former dwellers, and clefts in trees.

They are omnivores, eating food of both plant and animal origin. Generally, they hunt on small species of mammals, preferring red squirrels above all. However, in reality, they feed upon any kind of prey: frogs, fish, carrion, insects, and birds. From plant food, they eat seeds, nuts (particularly beechnuts), berries, and fruits.

The American marten is polygynous, which means that one male mates with a number of females. Males fiercely defend their territory against unwanted guests such as other males. The breeding season takes place in summer and lasts 3 months (June-August). The gestation period lasts 28 days, after which a female gives birth to 1-5 babies. Females give birth in “natal” dens, moving then babies to maternal dens. Young grow up rapidly, being weaned at 43 days old. Thereafter, the mother leaves young by themselves, tending to breed again in the next season. American martens reach sexual maturity at 15-24 months old.

Over a long period of time, American martens have been killed and persecuted within their home range because their pelts had a huge demand in the market. Another threat is deforestation of coniferous woods, which is the major component of American martens’ habitat. Forest fires and human intervention are among the factors, threatening the marten's population in North America.

Being predators, martens have a huge influence on prey populations, controlling and contributing to the formation of forest communities.