Marten

American martens are small Mammals, living on trees. They belong to the same group as skunks and weasels. The body of marten is slim and the legs are short. American marten has curved claws that help it to climb easily. The head is wide 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 a different part of its body. Meanwhile, the summer coat of the marten is light-colored and shorter in length hair. It has also a creamy to orange-colored “breastplate” on its chest and throat. American martens are widespread around 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.
Category:Weasels
Category:Carnivores
Category:Mammals
Category:Wildlife