An American marten (Martes americana) in Ottowa, Canada

by Mike Norkum

Practice Colour Sketch Friend #2! This is the face of a marten that likes attention!

American pine marten (Martes americana)

Photos [1, 2] © John-Rice Kelsey

hiya! i absolutely love your moodboards, they're so whimsical 💖 could i request one for my marten theriotype? :0 any subspecies of marten (pine, sable, beech) would be correct lol i'd love for it to have kinda scrappy punk & wandering bard/storyteller themes! thanks in advance, and i hope you have a good weekend :3c

Marten moodboard! Martens are polygamous, meaning that one marten of any sex may have multiple mates at once. They are omnivorous and one of their most common foods is voles. American martens are prized for their pelts in northern Canada by indigenous tribes.

Animal of the Day!

American Marten (Martes americana)

(Photo in public domain)

Conservation Status- Least Concern

Habitat- Canada; Northern United States

Size (Weight/Length)- 1.4 kg; 71 cm

Diet- Small mammals; Birds; Fruits

Cool Facts- The American marten, also called the pine marten, is a small but essential carnivore to the North American wilderness. Being nocturnal in the winter and diurnal in the summer, American martens travel a relatively small territory and often stick to the trees to avoid much larger predators such as coyotes and bears. Their main prey source are voles and mice, making them essential towards keeping rodent populations from exploding. In addition, American martens help to spread wild blueberry and huckleberry seeds by eating the fruits and well… you know. Females give birth to smaller litters in the spring in hollow logs and gaps in boulder formations. The kits stay with their mother throughout the summer as she teaches them to hunt but they often split once the leaves start falling.

Rating- 11/10 (Just looing for a cuddle.)

An American Marten! I know it's a long shot, but if you or a friend live in Pennsylvania, the public comment period for the American Marten reintroduction program ends Nov 15! Let's get these guys back home!

Hello!

You may have already answered this but I LOVE your martens and I was wondering if you have any premades going up for sale in 2023 and generally do you announce right before you are going to be selling the plush?

Thank you so much! Yes two of them will be available sometime in 2023. I'll announce a couple weeks ahead of my shop drop to give people time to prepare.

These are the two that will be available:

Huh, I didn't expect to see so many cool mustelids while I was here. Guess I'm just super lucky.

Just kidding! Of course, these are all taxidermy from the American Museum of Natural History. I'll be posting some more photos soon, but I could only fit so many in one post. Enjoy these for now!

American Martens

American martens, also known as pine martens, are somewhat arboreal (tree dwelling) and move with great ease in trees.  They mark scent trails from tree to tree with their strong scent glands. In spite of this, they are reported to do most of their hunting on the ground. Most hunting occurs at dusk and dawn, when prey species are most active.  In addition, these animals are accomplished swimmers and can even swim under water.

Hys is up to trouble!

Critter fact #95:

The American marten (Martes americana) mainly hunts small mammals and birds, but will also occasionally eat fruit and insects.

their name is Reed and they're a poet! lil' sketchy sketch, i'm sure i'll finish this one eventually

American Marten (Martes americana) sleeping in tree cavity, Alaska

Photo © Michael Quinton

What are your thoughts on reintroducing the American marten in Pennsylvania? We want to hear from YOU. The public comment period for the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s American Marten Reintroduction and Management Plan is open through Nov. 15, 2023. Email your thoughts, opinions, and comments on this plan to [email protected], by Nov. 15, 2023, to be submitted. *Please note, the only way to have your comments officially submitted is to email them to the above email address. Comments posted on social media will not be submitted or considered by the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners. To view the reintroduction plan, visit www.pgc.pa.gov and search, “American Marten.” The plan is a long-term, ten-year strategy to translocate American martens back to the state, then conduct comprehensive monitoring to evaluate the success of the reintroduction. After the public comment period, the comments will be summarized and integrated into a final reintroduction and management plan. That plan will be presented to the Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners for final review and discussion as early as the January 2024 board meeting. The American marten was once a native species. It was extirpated from Pennsylvania in the early 1900’s due to habitat loss and unregulated harvest. They are omnivores that feed primarily on rodents, plants, and insects. Based on a feasibility assessment by the Game Commission, it was determined that the state has suitable marten habitat in quantity, quality, and connectivity in the northern tier. We value your comments and look forward to hearing from you!

source: [PA Game Commission]

(via "Cabe Breton Nova Scotia American Marten" Premium T-Shirt for Sale by Guess4best)