Marten
| Class: Mammalia:
Mammals |
Diet: Small mammals |
| Order:
Carnivora: Carnivores |
| Size: body:
35.5 - 43 cm (14 - 17 in), tail: 18 - 23 cm (7 - 9 in) |
| Family: Mustelidae:
Mustelids |
Conservation Status:
Non-threatened |
| Scientific Name:
Martes americana |
Habitat: forest,
woodland |
| Range:
Canada, Northern USA |
 An
agile, acrobatic creature with a bushy tail, the marten spends much of
its time in trees, where it preys on squirrels. It also hunts on the ground
and eats small animals and insects, fruit and nuts. Martens den in hollow
trees and produce a yearly litter of 2 to 4 young, usually in April. The
young are blind and helpless at birth; their eyes open at 6 weeks, and
they attain adult weight at about 3 months. The closely related fisher,
M. pennanti, is one of the few creatures that preys on American porcupines.
  
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