The American marten, Martes americana, also called the American pine marten, is a slender North American mustelid found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its fur ranges from yellowish to brown to nearly black and it has a bib of a distinctly different color, and it is smaller and lighter in color than the fisher, with males much larger than females. Martens are omnivorous but rely chiefly on small mammals such as voles, and they live alone except in the midsummer breeding season. Implantation of the embryo is delayed until late winter and a litter of one to five kits is born the following spring. Heavy fur trapping peaked in 1820 and depleted populations, which have since rebounded and are rated Least Concern by the IUCN, although martens are still absent from parts of the Northeast and one of the seven subspecies is threatened.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) ThreatsBiological Resource Use 1 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Conservation Status Activity Pattern Activity Pattern Connections
Child Taxon Of
Martes, Taxa Source American marten (Wikipedia)
In Biome
Source American marten (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source American marten (Wikipedia)Lead, where it livesQuote, Lead, where it lives
Martes americana is found throughout Canada and parts of the northern United States including Alaska.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source American marten (Wikipedia)Lead, where it livesQuote, Lead, where it lives
Martes americana is found throughout Canada and parts of the northern United States including Alaska.
Sources
1. American marten (Wikipedia)
Lead
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.
Lead, living or extinct
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.
Lead, diet
These martens are omnivorous and their diet varies by season, but they rely chiefly on small mammals, such as voles.
Section: Behavior
The American marten may be nocturnal or diurnal.
Section: Distribution and habitat
Martens were once thought to live only in old conifer (evergreen) forests, but further study shows that martens live in both old and young deciduous (leafy) and conifer forests as well as mixed forests, including in Alaska and Canada, and south into northern New England, and the Adirondacks in New York.
Lead, threats
Their sable-like fur made them a thoroughly trapped species during the height of the North American fur trade.
Lead, where it lives
Martes americana is found throughout Canada and parts of the northern United States including Alaska.
Life span, captivity
== Mortality == === Lifespan === American martens in captivity may live for 15 years.
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.