Taiga Animals

Marten
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

Size of MartenAn 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.

Range of Marten
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