American marten. Where does the marten live, in what natural area? American marten habitat

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 around 8 square kilometers, which overlap with the territories of females, which are about 2.5 square kilometers in size. 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.

The American marten is similar to other martens - it has a long, slender body covered with shiny, 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.

Order - Carnivora / Suborder - Dog-like / Family - Mustelids / Subfamily - Mustelids

History of study

The American marten (lat. Martes americana) is a rare species of the marten family, outwardly similar to the pine marten.

Spreading

The habitat of the American marten is Canada, North America.

Appearance

The American marten has soft and thick fur, ranging in color from pale yellow to reddish to dark brown. The neck of the animal is pale yellow, while the tail and legs are dark brown. There are two black lines on the muzzle running vertically from the eyes. Fluffy a long tail makes up a third of the total length of the animal. Males reach a body length of 36 cm to 45 cm with a tail length of 15 cm to 23 cm and a weight of 470 g to 1300 g. Females are smaller, with a body length of 32 cm to 40 cm and a tail length of 13.5 cm to 20 cm and weigh from 280 g to 850 g.

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.

The breeding season lasts from July to August. Puberty occurs at 15-24 months, usually give birth to cubs at 3 years.

Pregnancy lasts an average of 267 days. 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.

Lifestyle

The habitat of the American marten is 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.

It is mainly a nocturnal mammal, but is also 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.

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. The marking of the animals showed that some of them live settled, while others are nomadic (mostly young animals).

Nutrition

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.

population

Hunting and loss of habitats (logging) have led to a decrease in the population, but the existence of the species is currently not threatened.

Many American martens die in rabbit traps.

American marten and man

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.

The marten is a representative of a large marten family. It is an agile and nimble predator, capable of easily overcoming various obstacles in pursuit of prey, climbing the upper canopy of the forest and climbing tree trunks. The animal marten belongs to valuable fur-bearing animals and has beautiful noble fur from dark chestnut to brownish-yellow hues.

Animal marten: description

The marten is an animal with thick and soft fur that can be dyed in various shades. Brown (dark brown, chestnut, brownish yellow). On the neck, the marten has a yellow throat spot, round in shape. Paws are short, five-fingered. The fingers have claws. The muzzle is sharp. Ears - short, triangular, with a yellow stripe along the edge. The body is slender, squat, slightly elongated (from 45 cm to 58 cm). The tail is fluffy, long, reaching half the marten's body (from 16 cm to 28 cm in length). Body weight - from 800 g to 1.8 kg. Females are on average 30 percent lighter than males. Winter marten fur is much silkier and longer than summer fur, and summer fur is stiffer and shorter than winter fur.

Types of martens

In nature, there are several types of martens, which each live in their own geographical and climatic zones, spreading strictly within their own ranges.

• Martes americana - the American marten is included in the category of rare animals, outwardly resembles a pine marten, a nocturnal predatory animal.
• Martes pennanti - ilka occupies hollow trees, preferring to stick to coniferous forest plantations.
• Martes foina - stone marten inhabits an extremely large area, more often than other species it is an object of hunting for fur production.
• Martes martes - pine marten is very common in Europe and Eurasia, is a source of quality fur.
• Martes gwatkinsii - Nilgirian marten is a unique animal that occupies southern zones.
• Martes zibellina - sable is an old object of hunting, sometimes forms a hybrid species called kidus (a cross between a marten and a sable).
• Martes flavigula - charza belongs to the category of Asian inhabitants, occupying vast areas there.
• Martes melampus - Japanese marten is a source of fur in the territory of the main Japanese islands.

Marten habitats

The American marten is found throughout the American continent. Ilka occupies a niche in the North American forests, meeting from the Appalachians (West Virginia) to the Sierra Nevada (California). The stone marten inhabits the vast majority of the Eurasian continent - its habitat ranges from the Himalayas and Mongolia to the Iberian Peninsula. Specially brought to Wisconsin (USA). The pine marten covers almost all European countries: it can be found from Western Siberia to the British Isles in the north and from Elbrus and the Caucasus to the Mediterranean in the south. The Nilgiri marten inhabits the southern part of India, living in the Western Ghats and the Nilgiri highlands. Sable is an inhabitant of the Russian taiga, which occupies the territory from Pacific Ocean to the Urals.

Kharza is found on the Korean Peninsula, China, Turkey, Iran, the Himalayan foothills, Indochina, Hindustan, the Malay Peninsula and the Greater Sunda Islands. It is also widely represented in Pakistan, Nepal, Georgia, Afghanistan. It is also found on the territory of Russia, occupying the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, Sikhote-Alin, the Ussuri River basin and the Amur Region. The Japanese marten originally inhabits the 3 main islands of Japan - Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu. It also lives on Tsushima, in Korea, on the islands of Sado and Hokkaido. In Russia, there are mainly such types of martens as sable, pine marten, stone marten and marten.

marten habits

The physique of the marten directly affects its habits: this animal can only move stealthily or abruptly (at the time of running). The flexible body of the marten works as if elastic spring, which is why the fleeing animal flickers only for a moment in the gaps in the paws of coniferous trees. The marten prefers to stay in the middle and upper forest layers. Deftly climbs trees, climbing even upright trunks, which she can do with fairly sharp claws.

The marten leads a predominantly diurnal lifestyle, hunting on the ground and spending most of the time in the trees. The marten equips housing in hollows of trees up to 16 meters high or directly in their crown. The marten not only avoids a man, but hides from him. It leads a sedentary life, without changing its chosen habitat even with a shortage of food. But occasionally it can roam after squirrels, which periodically undertake mass migrations over long distances.

In the zone forest areas occupied by martens, there are two types of sites: passing, where they are occasionally, and daily hunting, on which martens spend most of their time. Summer and autumn sometimes martens develop an exceptionally small part of their hunting grounds, living in places for a long time largest concentration food. In winter, these boundaries are greatly expanded due to lack of food, and active fattening routes appear in martens. Most often they visit places such as shelters and feeding grounds, marking them with urine.

Where does the marten live

With all its way of life, the marten is connected with the forest. It is found in many forest lands where they grow different trees, but most of all prefers spruce, pine forests and coniferous plantations close to them. In the northern regions, these are spruce-fir forests, in the southern regions, spruce-broad-leaved forests, and in the Caucasian region, fir-beech forests.

For permanent habitat, the marten chooses cluttered areas of large forests with tall trees, old forest, which is mixed with medium-sized plots young undergrowth, with long forest edges, and forest areas with undergrowth and clearings. But it can also settle in flat areas, in mountain forests, where it is found in the valleys of large streams and rivers. Some varieties of marten do not avoid rocky areas and placers. They try to stay away from human habitats, penetrating into settlements only through park areas. The only exception is the stone marten, which often settles directly in cities and villages.

What does a marten eat

Martens are omnivores, but most often they eat small mammals (such as mice, voles and squirrels), birds and their eggs. They are distinguished by the fact that they are interested in rats, as a subject of hunting, which cats try to bypass because of their large size. Martens and carrion, insects, snails, frogs, reptiles do not disdain. In autumn martens willingly feed on nuts, berries and fruits. At the end of summer and throughout autumn, martens lay food in reserve, which will be useful to them in the cold season.

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 southwest Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, except for the northwest, Newfoundland with Newfoundland, 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 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 coniferous 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 average weight marten varies 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.

American marten consumes wide range feed, 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 can eat almost anything that is somehow edible, including plant foods 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 of the following year, females give birth to up to 7 cubs (3-4 on average), 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.

Marten weight or body size - 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 the 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.

The American marten is a predatory animal of the mustelid family, its Latin name— Martes americana. Dwells in dark coniferous forests, where spruce and pine predominate, but also occurs in mixed forests. The geographical distribution area is Alaska, Canada and the USA.

The destruction of forests and the extermination of the marten by man has significantly reduced the number of individuals. Now American marten belongs to the rare species. In the US reserves, work is underway to restore the number of the animal.

Appearance

Outwardly, the American marten is similar to another type of marten - the forest marten, but differs in a lighter color of the muzzle and wide feet.

This is a small slender animal with a long body and a fluffy tail, which is about a third of the entire length of the animal. The ears are small and rounded, the nose protruding, the eyes are large. The paws of the marten are short, the claws are sharp, curved, and are well adapted for climbing trees. Body length (including tail) - 55-70 cm, weight - 0.5 - 1.5 kg. Males are heavier and larger than females.

The fur is long and shiny, its color is brown with a dark red or light brown tint. The muzzle and abdomen of a lighter shade, the tail and paws are black or brown. On the chest - a creamy light spot.

Lifestyle

American martens are solitary animals leading a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle. They are very agile and climb trees with great speed, easily jumping from branch to branch.

However, martens find most of their prey on the ground: moving through trees allows them to go unnoticed by rodents living below and other small animals. The peak of hunting activity occurs in the predawn and morning hours, when potential victims also show signs of intense vital activity, leaving their holes in search of food.

American martens are excellent swimmers, and swim quickly not only on the surface, but also under water.

Martens prey on squirrels, mice, chipmunks, rabbits. They usually attack their victims from behind and kill with a lightning-fast bite to the back of the head, breaking the victim's spine.

In addition to mammals, martens prey on partridges, amphibians, reptiles, insects and fish, and sometimes eat carrion. Fruits and vegetables are also included in her diet. Martens are very voracious and very curious, which often causes them to fall into traps and traps set for other animals - for example, rabbits.

Each marten has its own hunting territory. The animal bypasses the possessions approximately every 10 days. American martens do not tolerate strangers in their area - when meeting with representatives of their own species, they show aggression and enter into battle. Young individuals can roam over long distances in search of a better territory in terms of subsistence.

The enemies of the American marten are people, and to a lesser extent - large predatory mammals and birds.

reproduction

Males meet with females only for 2 months a year - in July and August, during the rut. Individuals of the opposite sex find each other with the help of scent marks, which are left through the secretion of the anal glands. Martens communicate with the help of sharp sounds resembling a giggle.

After the act of mating and fertilization, the embryos do not develop immediately, but only after 6-7 months. After a latent pregnancy, the development of the embryo lasts another 2 months. The male does not take any part in raising the cubs.

The female builds a nest for childbirth, the bottom of which is lined with grass. Usually the nest is well hidden from prying eyes in the hollows of trees or cavities of old stumps. Usually 3-4 blind and deaf puppies weighing 30 grams are born. Their ears and eyes open only after a month, milk nutrition lasts up to 2 months of age. At 4 months old, American marten cubs can already forage on their own.

The American marten is fed by its feet - it walks about 25 km a day. To do this, she needs to make about 30 thousand jumps about 60 cm long on the ground and on trees. Their dexterity resembles that of a monkey - this is the most agile climber among the weasel family.