American Martens - Pictures

American Martens - Mysterious Creatures

Thus, it is believed that American Martens hunt primarily on trees. Indeed, the species is a perfect tree climber thanks to its agility and sharp curved claws. Martens are often seen on trees, which fuels the myth of their arboreal nature. In fact, American Martens prey mostly on the ground. Trees are only their shelter from natural enemies. The American Marten has few enemies except man. Hawks and owls are reported to hunt on the species.

American Martens are often confused with Fisher and Stone Martens. They are similar in size to the American Marten and can have similar coloration. The color pattern of the Fisher is darker than that of the American Marten, yet they are known to live in similar habitat and have similar tracks. Stone Martens are non-native to America and can be differentiated from American Martens by a color pattern. Their coat color ranges from pale gray to brown with a white patch on the neck.

One of the subspecies, the Humboldt Marten (Martes Americana humboldtensis), was considered almost extinct. Its numbers declined sharply at the end of the 19th century due to heavy trapping and habitat loss. Although trapping was banned in the 1940s, the subspecies could not cope with the impact. Many biologists did not expect to find live specimens and were very surprised to track some in California, a historical range of the subspecies.

The Humboldt Marten got the status of a "California species of special concern" and "Forest Service sensitive." Further research is aimed at studying the ecology of this subspecies and the management of forests in the area. Although the return of the Humboldt Marten is a happy event, it takes time to reestablish the population of American Martens in California.

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