Animals are most active in the early morning, late afternoon and at night. Outside the mating season, they lead a hermitic lifestyle. Males defend their territories of about 8 square kilometers, which overlap with the territories of females, which are about 2.5 square kilometers. There is a lot of aggression between animals of the same sex. Marked animals showed that some live settled, while others are nomadic. Nomads usually include young animals that have become independent.

Martens are very agile. They easily jump through the trees from branch to branch, marking the path of movement with the smell of their glands. The abdominal and anal scent glands are well developed and characteristic feature for all members of the marten family. These predators are well adapted to climbing trees, where they catch squirrels in nests at night. They hunt alone. These animals kill their prey with a bite to the back of the head, destroying the spinal cord and breaking the victim's cervical vertebrae. In winter, predators dig tunnels under the snow to search for mouse-like rodents. They also willingly eat rabbits, chipmunks, partridges, frogs, fish, insects, carrion and even fruits and vegetables.

American marten similar to other martens - has a long, slender body, covered with sparkling, brownish fur. The throat is yellowish, the tail is long and fluffy. Similar to cats, it has semi-stretched claws that make it easier to climb trees, as well as relatively large feet, suitable for more snowy areas.

The habitat of American martens is dark coniferous forests: old coniferous forests of spruce, pine and other trees, as well as stands with a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees, including white pine, spruce, birch, maple and fir.

Mating in American martens occurs in the summer - in July and August. The male and female find each other thanks to scent marks left by the anal glands. Fertilized eggs do not develop immediately, but remain in the uterus for another 6-7 months at rest, after which the pregnancy is 2 months. For childbirth, females prepare a nest lined with grass and other plant materials. Such nests are located in logs, hollow trees or other voids. The female gives birth to up to 7 cubs (usually 3-4). Newborns are deaf and blind, weighing only 25-30 grams. The eyes open on the 39th day, and the ears after the 26th. Lactation lasts no more than 2 months. At 3-4 months. kids can get their own food. Puberty they begin at 15-24 months, and the birth of cubs is usually at 3 years. Males do not take any part in raising offspring.

The American marten (Martes americana) is considered a representative of the mustelid family, it belongs to predatory mammals. It differs from the pine martens living in Europe in larger paws and a lighter muzzle.

Description of the American marten

The American marten has a tail of good length, fluffy, it accounts for a third of the total length of the entire body of the animal, which ranges from 54 to 71 cm in males and from 49 to 60 cm in females. The weight of martens also varies from 0.5 to 1.5 kg.

Appearance

The similarity of this species of martens with others is easy to trace: the body of the American marten is elongated, slender, the fur of a healthy individual is thick, sparkling, brown. Also, animals of this species can have light brown or dark red fur. The neck below (shirtfront) is yellowish, but the paws and tail are darker. The ears are small and rounded.

This is interesting! The nose protrudes sharply, pointed, in a narrow mouth there are 38 sharp teeth. Two dark stripes cross the muzzle vertically to the eyes.

The claws of the animal are semi-elongated and sharp - in order to move well along the branches and trunks of trees, they are crooked in shape. Large feet help to move on the snow cover, and paws are short, have five fingers. There is a noticeable similarity between American martens and c - the structure of the body allows you to see common features. Females are lighter and smaller than males.

Lifestyle, behavior

The American marten is a dexterous, but cautious hunter, shy, avoids people, does not like open spaces. Escaping from large predators on trees, where it can quickly and deftly climb in case of danger. These martens are most active in the early morning hours, in the evening and at night. Almost all year round you can see these animals in splendid isolation, with the exception of the mating season. Representatives of both sexes have their own territories, which they zealously protect from the encroachments of other members of their species.

Martens mark their “kingdom” with the help of a secret secreted from the glands located on the abdomen and in the anus, leaving their scent marks on tree branches, stumps and other hills. Males can cover a territory of 8 km 2 in size, females - 2.5 km 2. The area of ​​these “holdings” is affected by the size of the individual, as well as the availability of the necessary feed and fallen trees, other voids that are important for the living of martens and living creatures included in its diet.

This is interesting! It is noteworthy that the areas of males and females can intersect and partially overlap each other, but the territories of same-sex martens do not coincide with each other, since each male or female zealously defends their “lands” from encroachments of another representative of their sex.

At the same time, the male can also make attempts to seize someone else's territory in order to increase his hunting grounds. The marten makes a tour of its “possessions” approximately every decade.

Martens do not have a permanent home, but they can have more than a dozen shelters on their territory in the voids of fallen trees, hollows, burrows - martens can hide in them from bad weather or hide if necessary. It is also interesting that these animals can lead both a sedentary and nomadic lifestyle, and most of the young roam, having just embarked on an independent path in life, probably to search for territories unoccupied by other individuals or in search of areas rich in food. .

Since American martens are hermits, they hunt alone, moving nimbly along the branches at night or twilight and, overtaking their potential food, attack from behind in the back of the head, biting the spine. Martens have a well-developed hunting instinct, and moving along the branches of trees helps these predators go unnoticed by small animals searching for their food on the ground.

Range, habitats

These nimble predatory mammals live mainly in the old mixed and dark coniferous forests of Canada, Alaska, and also the Northern part of the USA. The habitat of American martens can be old coniferous forests of spruce, pine, other coniferous trees, as well as mixed forests from deciduous and coniferous trees, in which white pine, spruce, birch, maple and fir are found. These old forests attract martens with many fallen trees in which they prefer to settle. Currently, there is a tendency for American martens to colonize young and uneven-aged forests of a mixed type.

American marten diet

These predatory animals are supplied by nature good qualities helping them in hunting, since meat occupies a predominant place in their diet. So, at night, martens can successfully grab squirrels in nests, and in winter they have the opportunity to dig long tunnels under the snow in search of mouse-like rodents. An excellent delicacy for them are also rabbits, chipmunks, partridges, frogs, other amphibians and reptiles, as well as fish and insects. Carrion and even fruits and vegetables can enter the diet of these animals in case of insufficient amount of animal feed in the territory of residence. Martens will not refuse from the eggs of birds, as well as their chicks, from mushrooms, seeds and honey.

This is interesting! It should be said that these animals have excellent appetite, absorbing about 150 g of food per day, but they can do with less.

But it also takes them a lot of energy to get the desired amount of food - martens can cover a distance of more than 25 kilometers per day, while making numerous jumps along tree branches and on the ground. And if the prey of martens shows the main activity in the daytime, then in this case the marten can also change its mode and also conduct daytime hunting. big booty marten can hide in reserve.

natural enemies

The natural enemies of the American marten may be larger predatory animals and birds. However, man poses a great danger to the life of these animals due to his influence on nature and hunting for fur.

Martens are small mammals, representatives of a large family of mustelids (or martens). These small animals are widespread in many areas. Where the marten lives, there are forests. But not all representatives of this family can be found in Russian open spaces.

Of the martens living in America, the American marten itself and the ilka (fishing marten) are known. In wet tropical jungle South India is found nilgiri kharza, in the forests of Japan and Korea - Japanese sable.

There are four types of martens in Russia - pine marten and stone marten, charza and sable. The most common of them is considered forest.

Let's dwell on it. Let's talk about where the marten lives, in what natural area.

Description

A marten is a small graceful animal, similar in size to an ordinary cat. He has a characteristic triangular small muzzle, protruding rounded ears, strong wide paws with sharp claws that help him in moving through the trees. The pine marten has a characteristic yellow spot on the chest and neck. Often this spot can take the most bizarre shape. For this difference, the pine marten received a second name - yellow-hearted marten (or yellow-hearted marten).

In length, the marten's body is small and hardly exceeds 60 cm, while the animal has a rather long tail, which it uses as a balancer when jumping from tree to tree. The length of these flights-jumps can be about 4 meters (for the harza - up to 8 meters).

The marten has beautiful fur of different shades - from fawn to brown. In winter, the fur coat of the marten is darker and thicker, and in the summer, in the process of molting, it becomes lighter and shorter. In the light, the animal has small black eyes that glow with reddish lights in the dark.

Habitat of the marten

This animal was extremely widespread from the coldest regions of Siberia to the mountains of Scotland and Ireland. To the south, its range even entered the Transcaucasian and Mediterranean regions.

Where does the marten live in Russia today? The pine marten is found in forests with strong tall trees up to Ural mountains, as well as in Siberia and the Caucasus. Occasionally it can be found in city parks. In the steppes with forest belts of Western Siberia, the habitats of the pine marten intersect with the habitats of another marten, the sable.

The marten prefers the upper tiers of both lowland and mountain forests. Where the marten lives, there are many coniferous trees, there are both fallen trunks and a young forest, as well as edges and clearings. In monolithic rocky areas, where there is little vegetation and no sources, the marten is not found.

Animal habits

Most often martens live alone. Males live in areas of about two and a half hectares, females occupy smaller territories. These animals do not create permanent dwellings and shelters; they unite in pairs only during the breeding season.

They lead a nocturnal lifestyle. Having sated, in the daytime the animal rests in old nests or hollows, preferring not to descend to the ground. The pine marten does not hibernate, but if cold weather sets in, it stocks up in its shelter and waits out the bad weather. Can change the location of housing, moving from one to another.

The marten is an excellent hunter. It has excellent vision, smell and hearing. The marten, wandering in search of prey, can “explore” vast territories, it deftly climbs trees, makes jumps, often grabbing prey on the fly, and easily makes its way along the branches through the crown of trees. But the marten swims badly, doing it only in extreme cases and reluctantly.

Like any predator, the marten is a cautious creature, but it does not feel fear of a person. Sometimes, hunting for squirrels, it can also penetrate urban park areas. But in the immediate vicinity of a person, the pine marten still tries not to live.

The life expectancy of mustelids is about ten years under conditions wildlife.

What does a marten eat

In the choice of food, the marten is not particularly picky, its diet consists of rodents, birds, their eggs, as well as amphibians and insects, up to grasshoppers. Hunting along the banks of reservoirs, this animal will catch fish and a water rat. On occasion, it will feast on honeycombs, extracting them from the hives of wild bees, as well as nuts, seeds and wild berries.

Such omnivorousness helps the marten survive when there is a "crop failure" for representatives of small fauna and there is no choice. But the Russian pine marten still prefers to hunt for squirrel, hare, hazel grouse, capercaillie. But the taiga marsh - on small deer (musk deer and roe deer).

The marten is a rather voracious animal. Having raided the chicken coop, she can strangle all the chickens, although she will drag off only one.

Reproduction and young

The marten's rut ​​occurs in the second half of summer; in March, the female brings up to five (occasionally up to seven) cubs. Little martens are blind, deaf and hairless at birth. Only a month later they begin to see clearly, and a little earlier they acquire the first fur coat. Soon, the young begin to taste the meat that the female brings him, and after two months, the first acquaintance with the outside world will take place - the martens begin to climb trees and try to hunt.

By mid-late summer, the female begins the next rut, and the mother abandons her puppies. Some of them leave to develop new territories, someone remains in place.

marten hunting

IN Ancient Rus' marten was considered not just valuable prey, its skins were used as monetary unit and got the name "kuna". The most skillful hunters could pursue the marten for a long time, moving away from them along the tops of the trees. Today, such hunting masters cannot be found, although in some areas of Siberia and beyond the Urals - where the marten lives - it is still considered commercial species.

Hunting for a marten, in particular for a sable, today is subject to strict restrictions, since the number of all types of animals is limited in their range.

It is not advisable to hunt this animal with traps - the fur will be spoiled. the best way recognized hunting with dogs. For example, the Evenks usually hunt sable with the help of their riding huskies.

Domestication of the marten

It is believed that puppies brought from the forest in captivity take root difficult. Some types of mustelids are difficult to tame. Sometimes these animals require special conditions of detention. After all, it is an energetic, mobile animal. Where the marten likes to live, there should be trees, hidden loopholes, hollows. A cage is not suitable for a growing animal, it needs a spacious aviary in which all these signs of a free life will be present.

However, the marten can still be domesticated. With a sufficiently comfortable content in captivity, the life expectancy of the animal will double.

Other types of marten

Where the pine marten lives in Russia, you can also meet other representatives of the marten family, namely the stone marten, marten and sable.

The stone marten in habits, lifestyle and nutrition is similar to the forest marten, only slightly larger in size. She also has a spot on her chest, but white color(hence the name - belodushka).

A feature of the white man is that this animal easily adapts to the human neighborhood, not particularly suffering from it. economic activity, and can even live in attics and basements of stone houses. The white-tailed duck is considered a harmful animal, since it is capable of attacking small birds kept on farms in search of prey, damaging wall insulation, cables and hoses.

Kharza is one of the largest mustelids. Where does this species of marten live? Kharza is found in the Ussuri taiga and the Amur region (and outside the Russian borders - in India, China, Pakistan, Indochina and Indonesia). This is a rather large and whimsically colored animal.

Harza can be easily recognized by the black color of the head, muzzle and white lower jaw. The coat of the body of the animal is of the original golden-brown color (sometimes they even talk about an orange tint), the tail and legs are dark. On the chest - a yellow spot common to representatives of many mustelids.

Kharza is considered one of the most powerful and agile predators on its territory, it has practically no natural enemies. When hunting, it causes damage to useful animals - musk deer, roe deer, raccoon dog, squirrel, and sable.

Unlike the marten, the marten is a social animal; it prefers to stay and rest in families.

And of course, talking about the marten, one cannot but recall the owner of the most luxurious fur among marten - sable. This is one of the characteristic inhabitants of the Russian taiga - from the Urals to the Pacific coasts. The colors of the sable pelt range from the darkest (and most valuable) to fawn and almost white. There is often a spot on the neck that does not extend below.

The entire economy of Siberia used to be based on the production of this fur animal. As a result, its numbers have been greatly reduced, sable for some time was under the threat of extinction. Today, scientists and hunters have managed to bring the size of the sable population to an optimal level.

Like all martens, the sable is a strong and agile predator. However, unlike the pine marten, it prefers to stay close to the ground. Rarely rises to the tops of trees. This type of marten lives where they grow cedar forests, there are elfins, and along mountain rivers. Shelters are often found in low-lying tree cavities, pits under tree roots, and crevices in rocky outcrops. It goes hunting not only at night, but also during the day.

American marten - M. americana Turton, 1806 (Area: northern part North America- Alaska, except for the southwestern part with the Alaska Peninsula and the coast of the Beaufort Sea; provinces of Canada - Yukon, Mackenzie, except for the northeast, British Columbia with the Alexandra Archipelago, the Queen Charlotte Islands and Vancouver Island, the northern half and a narrow strip of the southwest of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, except for the northwest, Newfoundland with the Newfoundland Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Island Edward; US states - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, New York, northern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, Michigan, extreme northeast Illinois, Wisconsin, except southwest, northern half of Minnesota, extreme northeast North Dakota, western third of Montana, northern half and southeast of Idaho, northwest and south of Wyoming, northeast of Utah, western half of Colorado, north central regions New Mexico, western half, north and southeast of Washington, western third and northeast of Oregon, northern half of California).

The American marten is found throughout most of Canada, and as far south as Nevada and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and California. The American marten is confined to dark coniferous forests and used to be widespread in the USA and Canada, but was subjected to severe extermination and only for Lately began to recover its numbers.

The marten within its range prefers mature coniferous forests of pine, spruce and other trees. These old forests have fallen and rotting trees and logs in abundance, which are excellent places to build nests and provide martens with varied and reliable hiding places. A new study has shown that the marten can also successfully live in younger and mixed forests of different ages. They prefer stands with a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees, including white pine, yellow birch, maple, fir and spruce.

The American marten has a small, fluffy and elongated body. Males usually have a body length between 55 and 68 cm in, and females - between 49 and 60 cm, of which 16 to 24 cm fall on the tail, and the average marten weight ranges between 0.5 and 1.5 kg. The American marten has short legs with large paws; each has five fingers. They also have big eyes, cat ears, and twisted, sharp claws that are well suited for climbing trees. The fur is long and shiny. American martens have fluffy tails that are one third of their total length. The shape of the body resembles a sable, and it is quite possible that she is just a subspecies of our sable, with coarser and less valuable fur.

The main tone of her fur is brown, and in some individuals the fur is colored from dark red to very light brown. The muzzle and underside of the body are usually much lighter in color, the legs and tail are dark brown or black, and the chest has a cream colored patch.

The marten is primarily a nocturnal mammal, but it is often active during the twilight hours (morning and evening), and often during the day, when prey with daytime activity is plentiful.

Martens are very agile and jump from branch to branch in the trees, marking their paths with the smell of their glands. They are usually solitary hunters. It is well adapted to climbing trees, where it catches squirrels in nests at night.

Often their cute and pleasant faces give the false impression that the marten is a tame and obedient animal, but this is far from the case. In fact, the marten is a highly efficient predator. The marten kills its prey with a bite to the back of the head, crushing the cervical vertebrae and destroying the spinal cord of the victim. In winter, martens tunnel under the snow in search of mouse-like rodents.

The American marten consumes a wide range of foods, although they eat mostly meat. They are ready to eat any animal they can catch. Feeds on red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), also rabbits, chipmunks, mice, voles, partridges and other small birds and their eggs, fish, frogs, insects, honey, mushrooms, seeds. When food is scarce, like rabbits, during the winter, the marten will eat just about anything that is somehow edible, including vegetable feed and carrion. This species can be considered as an enemy of game animals, such as gray and fox squirrels and rabbits.

The American marten has well developed large anal and abdominal scent glands, which are characteristic of all members of the mustelid family. They leave the secret of odorous glands on stones and logs especially actively during the mating season.

The breeding biology of the American marten is similar to that of other species of this genus. Males and females communicate with each other only for two months - July and August, when the rut occurs, in the rest of the year they lead a solitary lifestyle. Male and female find each other with the help of strong scent marks left by the anal glands. After mating, the fertilized eggs do not develop immediately, but are in the uterus at rest for 6-7 months. Pregnancy lasts an average of 267 days. The actual pregnancy after this latency period is only 2 months, and everything is aimed at ensuring that young people are born in early spring- in the most favorable period. The male does not take any part in caring for the young.

During March or April next year females give birth to up to 7 cubs (on average 3-4), which are located in nests lined with grass and other plant material. Nests are usually located in hollow trees or logs or other voids. The young are blind and deaf at birth and weigh approximately 25-30 g. After 26 days, the ears of the babies open, and the eyes after 39 days. They are weaned at 2 months, and can get their own food at the age of 3-4 months.

Young females usually mature at 15-24 months, but they do not bear young until they are three years old.

The marten is well adapted to life in trees. They are exceptional climbers and can even climb down a tree trunk, upside down. This seems somewhat strange, since they spend most of their time hunting on the surface of the earth. Martens have a great appetite and are very curious, which is why they can sometimes make trouble for themselves by falling into traps and various traps. They live up to 10-15 years. Enemies are not known, although young martens may be attacked by owls and large carnivores (such as wolves).

Males are territorial: they defend a territory up to three square miles. The territory of females is smaller and does not exceed 0.5 - 1.0 square miles. Martens in general completely walk around their territory every 8-10 days, as they hunt here. Neither males nor females will tolerate another American marten of the same sex in their territory, and they are very aggressive towards them. American martens sometimes use vocalizations to communicate (described as giggles and screams by eyewitnesses).

The size of an individual territory is variable and depends on a number of factors. Body size, availability and abundance of food, and the presence of fallen trees are just some of the factors that determine how large a marten's hunting territory will be.

The weight of martens or body size is the most important factor for many reasons. Large home plot requires a large number energy for examination and its protection. The large marten is better suited for this. The suitability and availability of sufficient food is also a major factor. The marten must adjust the size of their home yard so that there is enough food and it is not difficult to maintain it efficiently. The number of fallen trees and hollow logs on their site also have important role in determining its size. These trees provide them with shelter and places to hunt, especially in winter.

Males have large home ranges and are more territorial than females. Males move (change) the boundaries of their territory, trying to occupy best area, especially areas with females living on them.

The marking of the animals showed that some of them live settled, while others are nomadic. The latter, in particular, include young animals that have become independent.

The marten is shot for its valuable fur. American martens can make playful pets if they are raised and fed from an early age.

area: Canada, North America.

Description: The American marten is a small, furry mammal with an elongated body. The tail is long and fluffy, making up one third of the total length of the animal. The ears are small, rounded, the nose is sharply protruding. The paws are short, with five toes on each paw. The claws are sharp, curved, adapted for climbing trees. The eyes are big. The fur is long and shiny. Males are heavier and larger than females.

Color: fur is brown, with shades from dark red to light brown. The muzzle and underside of the body are lighter in color, the paws and tail are dark brown or black, and the chest is patched with cream.

Size: males - 55-68 cm, females - 49-60 cm, tail 16-24 cm.

Weight: 500-1500

Lifespan: up to 10-15 years.

Habitat: dark coniferous forests: mature coniferous forests of pine, spruce and other trees. Stands with a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees, including white pine, yellow birch, maple, fir and spruce.

Enemies: unknown, presumably owls and large carnivores.

Food: The diet of the American marten includes a variety of foods: red squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, mice, voles, partridges and their eggs, fish, frogs, insects, honey, mushrooms, seeds. If there is not enough food, marten can eat almost everything that is edible, including plant foods and carrion.

Behavior: mostly nocturnal mammal, but active at dusk (morning and evening), and often during the day.
The marten is very agile - it jumps from branch to branch through the trees, marking the paths of movement with the smell of its glands. Hunt alone. It is well adapted to climbing trees, where it catches squirrels in nests at night.
The marten kills its prey with a bite to the back of the head, breaking the cervical vertebrae and destroying the victim's spinal cord. In winter, martens tunnel through the snow in search of mouse-like rodents.
The anal and abdominal scent glands are well developed and are characteristic of all members of the weasel family.
Martens have a good appetite, they are very curious, which is why they sometimes make trouble for themselves, for example, they fall into traps and various traps.

social structure: Male American martens are territorial: they defend their territory. Animals bypass their territory every 8-10 days. Neither males nor females tolerate strangers of the same sex in their territory, and behave very aggressively towards them.
The size of an individual plot is not stable and depends on a number of factors: the size of the animal, the abundance of food, the presence of fallen trees, etc.
Marking of animals showed that some of them live settled, while others are nomadic (mostly young animals).

reproduction: males and females meet each other only for two months - July and August, when the rut occurs, the rest of the time they lead a solitary lifestyle. The male and female find each other with the help of scent marks left by the anal glands. After mating, the fertilized eggs do not develop immediately, but are in the uterus at rest for another 6-7 months. Pregnancy after the latent period is 2 months. The male does not take any part in rearing the offspring.
For childbirth, the female prepares a nest, which is lined with grass and other plant material. The nest is located in hollow trees, logs or other voids.

Season/breeding period: July August.

Puberty: at 15-24 months, give birth to cubs usually at 3 years.

Pregnancy: average 267 days.

Offspring: the female gives birth to up to 7 puppies (average 3-4).
Newborn puppies are blind and deaf, weighing 25-30 g. Ears open on day 26, and eyes after 39. Lactation lasts up to 2 months. At 3-4 months, puppies can already get their own food.

Benefit / harm to humans: The American marten is an enemy of game animals, such as gray and fox squirrels and rabbits.
Martens are hunted for their valuable fur. Previously, one skin paid $100, but now the price is $12-$20 per skin.

Population/conservation status : Hunting and habitat loss (logging) have led to population decline, but the species is not currently threatened.
Many American martens die in rabbit traps.

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