In what forests does the marten live. Nutrition of the pine marten. Habitat of stone marten

The pine marten belongs to the group of polyphagous predators, therefore its existence does not depend on the abundance of any one food. The most important food groups of the pine marten include: 1) mouse-like rodents (mainly bank voles); 2) proteins; 3) birds; 4) insects; 5) forest fruits (including berries, nuts).

The specific gravity and species composition of feed is very variable. Each locality and each season has its own set of forages and the proportion of each. From year to year, they also do not remain unchanged. Nutritional variation depends on geographical location the locality, which most of all determines the species composition of forages, and on the time of the year, what is the reason for the availability of food and the degree of its availability for the pine marten, and finally, on the abundance (yield) of each of the forages.

AT geographic variability In the diet of the pine marten, there is a quite definite pattern - from south to north, the degree of carnivory increases, and from north to south, polyphagous increases. This is reflected in the variability of the chewing apparatus. From north to south, mammals, birds, especially from the grouse family, as well as bird eggs naturally decrease in the food of the pine marten. On the contrary, the occurrence of murine rodents among mammals and insects increases from north to south.

AT coniferous taiga vegetable feed more common in demons snowy period of the year. On the contrary, in the south lying zones - in the snow. Their average annual occurrence is the same everywhere and reflects the size of the animal's need for plant food.

The seasonality of feed is also clearly expressed. For example, protein in the diet of the pine marten is predominantly found in the snowy period, reaching an occurrence of 44% or more, and in the snowless period - no more than 6-8%. The same can be said about grouse birds and mountain ash. On the contrary, insects, bilberries, and mouse-like rodents are typical foods of the predominantly snowless period, and in the snowy period, except for the latter, they are absent or occur much less frequently.

There is a well-pronounced sexual dimorphism in the diet of the pine marten. Hares, capercaillie, black grouse are not found in the food of a weaker and smaller in size and weight female, i.e. more big booty. On the contrary, hazel grouse, mouse-like rodents in her feed are more common than in males.

Even within the same zone (in the European northern taiga), there is a significant variability in the occurrence of the main food groups. In particular, in the Arkhangelsk region, the range of fluctuations for individual food groups is more pronounced than in the Pechora; since there (in the Arkhang region) the occurrence of squirrels and plant foods is lower. The latter is due to the absence of cedar "nuts" in the winter diet. On the Kola Peninsula, the differences are even sharper.

The basis of the food of the pine marten is everywhere mouse-like rodents, mainly voles, and among the latter - mainly red and red. Only in the northwestern Caucasus are they replaced native species- bush voles, etc. Mouse-like rodents continue to be found in the diet of the pine marten, even when their numbers in the forest become small. The high abundance causes the concentration of the marten in habitats that are not typical for it: in clearings, burnt areas, along the edges, etc. This situation also causes an increase in the autumn migrations of young martens. It is mouse-like rodents, especially in combination with secondary and occasional food, that provide martens with a food minimum in hungry years. During the snowless period of the year, when the acquisition of mouse-like rodents for martens is greatly facilitated, their proportion in the diet of the martens increases.

The species composition of mouse-like rodents eaten by martens is diverse. It depends not only on species composition and relative abundance in the local forest fauna, but also on relative availability: more mobile wood mice are always much less common. Forests are an exception. Black Sea coast Caucasus, where, in places, there are no other mouse-like rodents.

It has long been widely believed that pine marten feeds mainly on proteins. Already from the above tables it is clear that this is far from being the case; The pine marten can also exist perfectly where there is no squirrel at all, for example, in the Caucasus, where the marten thrives. Even now, after the settlement of the squirrel in the forests of the northwestern Caucasus, the pine marten makes little use of its reserves (6.6%). Also during the snowless period, in taiga forest, where the marten has much more food available than in winter, the importance of protein in nutrition drops sharply. The destruction of squirrel squirrels in secrets has not yet been substantiated by facts.

AT last years the role of the pine marten (as well as sable for Siberia) in reducing the number of squirrels was intensively elucidated. Of primary importance is the ratio of the abundance and density of both species per unit of forest area, as well as the degree of abundance and availability of its main food for the marten. On average, the Pechora marten (which feeds on squirrels here more than anywhere else) eats 8-10 squirrels over the winter. In years when there are very few squirrels, and, on the contrary, there are many martens, these predators can destroy up to 30-35% of all squirrels; in other years, the value of proteins is much less. It is believed that in the European North, the pine marten is not able to influence the dynamics of the number of squirrels, and even more so to determine it. It causes noticeable damage to the local population of squirrels only in those rare years when the same low number of grouse birds, mouse-like rodents, and there are many martens at the same time coincide with a low number of squirrels.

The abundance of protein in nature does not cause an increase in its occurrence in the diet of the marten, especially if there are many voles. As it was noted in the Pechora, the increased occurrence of protein in marten food is also associated with an increased occurrence in nature of weakened and diseased proteins.

In the diet of the pine marten of the European taiga and partly of the zone mixed forests grouse birds are of significant importance: capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse and white partridge. Of these, hazel grouse is the most common victim of the marten. The marten hunts grouse birds mainly in their snowy burrows, at night, so in summer their occurrence in the marten's food drops noticeably and becomes more or less random. In the footprints in the snow, one can often trace the unsuccessful hunts of the pine marten for the capercaillie or hazel grouse. The number of grouse birds in the food of the marten usually increases in years of decline in the number of voles and squirrels. Capercaillie is found in the Pechora, like black grouse, only in the food of a larger and stronger male. Only hazel grouse is found in the female's food. This is also the case in the Vologda Oblast. The hare is also found only in the food of males. In the Central forest reserve there were individual male rabbits who specialized in the pursuit and production of hares. Their daily track was often especially long.

Catching small birds characteristic pine marten, although their proportion in the diet is very small. This is determined by the small size of the prey. Hollow-nesting birds predominate among the preyed birds: woodpeckers, tits, nuthatches.

Shrews in marten food are either an accidental element or a sign of an acute shortage of basic food. Sometimes, in some winters, an ordinary mole appears in the marten's food, moreover, quite often. This is due to the death of moles during severe freezing of the taiga soil in winters with little snow. Also, special circumstances cause the appearance of eggs of grouse birds, mainly capercaillie, in the winter diet of the marten. This is due to the death of whole clutches of eggs in early spring from hypothermia, which occurs only when the female leaves the clutch for a long time in years when repeated and prolonged June frosts occur.

Sometimes, in the winter, the remains of frogs and their caviar are found in the remains of the marten's food. This is observed in winters with little food, when the predator manages to find a wintering cluster of frogs somewhere on a melted stream. .In Tataria, on the Small Cheremshan, traces of a marten were repeatedly observed, passing on the ice of the river, where the American mink got frogs. The mink often left the frogs in the snow and the marten picked them up.

AT southern parts of the range of the species in the snowless period, the marten eats a large number of insects, including wasps, bees, bumblebees, beetles (especially ground beetles), In the taiga and forests middle lane wasps, bumblebees and bees are more common in food. Beetles predominate in the Caucasus. In the taiga, the value of this food group is naturally less, as are the food objects themselves. Having found a hollow tree inhabited by wild bees, the pine marten willingly and for a long time feeds on honey and bee larvae.

Plant foods are found in food in taiga forests, mainly during the snowless period. Then blueberries take the first place. Other fruits, including bird cherry, are of secondary importance. Only in the upper reaches of the Pechora does the cedar “nut” become very important in autumn and winter, of course, during the years of its harvest. It is usually found in the stomachs of martens together with forest voles. The marten eats mountain ash in winter, far from being in accordance with its availability and accessibility. She uses the fruits of mountain ash very moderately, especially when there are many other feeds. Where there is no cedar in the taiga, mountain ash and other plant foods appear in the food of martens in winter, when there is little basic food. In the southern parts of the range, fruits, especially in autumn and winter, are much more greater value than in the taiga. In the northwestern Caucasus, along with a whole list of wild fruits (including mountain ash), yew fruits, which are poisonous to humans, are also of significant importance.

Polyphagous is a very characteristic feature of the pine marten. It allows her to switch to others with a shortage of one feed. However, the comparison of combinations in one stomach different number food with the degree of fullness of the stomach and the fatness of the animal shows that the diversity in the daily diet is a negative sign, indicating a lack of basic, complete feed. An analysis of long-term data on the diet of the pine marten also shows that, along with the existing relationship between the degree of abundance of basic foods in nature and the frequency of their occurrence in the diet, there is another relationship - a decrease in the occurrence of one of the food groups causes an increase in the consumption of another group or groups, regardless on the abundance of these foods in nature. In general, due to polyphagous pine martens, there are no deep and long-term depressions in abundance, primarily where conditions are more favorable for them. However, although rare, there are seasons when most of the main food in nature is scarce, martens starve.

Table 68 on the diet of the pine marten shows that during the snowless period, due to a more diverse and more accessible range of food, the occurrence of mouse-like rodents noticeably increases, mainly forest voles, eggs of birds, insects and their larvae, as well as fruits. At the same time, the occurrence of more difficult-to-get foods: squirrels, grouse birds is decreasing. It has already been said above that this general position there are a number of local deviations. So, in the Arkhangelsk region, 70% of the data were found in the summer diet of voles, birds - 23.2%, insects - 24.2%, fruits (including berries) - 21.2%, among birds the value of grouse decreases and increases the role of small birds, as well as appear lizards, reduced the value of shrews - forced food, and squirrels.

The marten's stomach holds an amount of food equal to 1/10 of the animal's live weight - this is the optimal daily norm in nature. It is not often achieved. The most filled stomachs contained 60-90 g of food, most often about 50 g. The pine marten does not eat more than one squirrel per day; much more often it leaves a part of the carcass. To assess the overall food supply of the marten in a given year and season, the researcher has data on the average stomach fullness with food (by weight) and on the number of empty stomachs. In the zone of middle and northern taiga, the pine marten feeds worse than in the zone of mixed forests. The average fullness of the stomach of the Pechora marten for 7 winter seasons was 28.7% of the optimal fullness, in the forests of the middle zone - 80-95%, which is 50-70 and up to 90 g. For Tataria, the filling is about 44% (32 g) . All this corresponds to the geographical variability of the marten diet in different areas of its habitat and the duration of the daily journey. In the Pechora marten over 7 years, the average percentage of stomach fullness in the winter season ranged from 14.6 to 51.1%, and the average weight (without empty ones) - from 10.6 to 37.1 g. In Vologda pine martens over 4 winter seasons the average weight of the contents of the stomach ranged from 25.5 to 35.5 g (mean - 29.3 g); the maximum was 126 g (a frog and its caviar). The best fullness in the upper reaches of the Pechora usually occurs with a predominant diet of squirrel and upland game, but at this time there is also the largest percentage of empty stomachs.

A predatory mammal with long valuable fur from the mustelid family and the genus of martens is called the pine marten. In another way, it is also called zheltodushka. pine marten elongated and graceful.

Its valuable and beautiful fluffy tail has dimensions that are more than half the length of the body. The tail not only serves as an ornament of this beast, with its help the marten manages to maintain balance when jumping and while climbing trees.

Its four short legs are characterized by the fact that their feet are covered with hair with the advent of winter cold, which helps the animal to easily move through snowdrifts and ice. These four paws have five toes, with curved claws.

They can retract half way. The muzzle of the marten is wide and elongated. The animal has a powerful jaw and mega sharp teeth. The ears of the marten are triangular, relatively large in relation to the muzzle. From above they are rounded and with a yellow edging.

The nose is pointed, black. The eyes are dark, at night their color becomes copper-red. Forest marten in the photo leaves only positive impressions. In appearance, this is a gentle and harmless creature with an innocent look. The beautiful color and quality of marten wool are striking.

It ranges from light chestnut with yellow to brown. In the region of the back, head and legs, the coat is always darker than in the region of the abdomen and sides. The tip of the animal's tail is almost always black.

hallmark martens from all other breeds of mustelids is a yellow or orange coat color in the neck area, which extends beyond the front legs. From this came the second name of the marten - zheltodarka.

The parameters of a predator are similar to those of a large one. Body length 34-57 cm. Tail length 17-29 cm. Females are usually 30% smaller than males.

Features and habitat of the pine marten

The entire forest zone of Eurasia is densely populated by representatives of this species. Forest martens live on the large area. They are found in places ranging from Great Britain to Western, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean islands, Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, Iran and Asia Minor.

The animal prefers the nature of mixed and deciduous forests, less often conifers. Rarely marten sometimes settle high in mountain ranges, but only in those places where there are trees.

The animal prefers places with trees with hollows. In the open area can go out solely to hunt. Rocky landscapes are not the right place for the marten; she avoids it.

There is no stable abode in the zheltodushka. She finds refuge in trees at a height of 6 meters, in hollows, abandoned nests, crevices and windbreaks. In such places, the animal stops for a day's rest.

With the advent of twilight, the predator begins to hunt, and after it she seeks refuge in another place. But with the onset severe frosts her life position may change a bit, marten long time sits in a shelter, eating pre-stored provisions. The pine marten tries to settle away from people.

Pictures with pine marten they make you look at her with tenderness and some irresistible desire to take the animal in your hands and stroke it. The more hunters valuable fur of these animals and the less forest area with favorable conditions for the habitat of martens, the more difficult it becomes for them to live and breed. European pine marten in Russia is still considered an important commercial species due to the value of its fur.

Character and lifestyle

The pine marten, more than any other representatives of its kind, prefers to live and hunt in trees. She easily climbs their trunks. Her tail helps her cope with this, it serves as a rudder for the marten, and sometimes as a parachute, thanks to which the animal jumps down without any consequences.

The tops of the trees are absolutely not afraid of the marten, she easily moves from one branch to another and can jump four meters. She also jumps on the ground. He swims skillfully, but rarely does it.

In the photo, a pine marten in a hollow

It is a nimble and very fast animal. It can travel a long distance fairly quickly. Her sense of smell, sight and hearing are highest level, which helps a lot on hot. By nature, this is a funny and inquisitive animal. Martens communicate with each other by purring and growling, and sounds similar to chirping come from the kids.

Listen to the meow of the pine marten

Nutrition

This omnivore is not particularly picky about food. The marten feeds depending on the season, habitat and food availability. But she still prefers animal food. The most favorite prey of martens are squirrels.

Very often, the predator catches the squirrel right in its own hollow, but if this does not happen, it hunts for it for a long time and persistently, jumping from branch to branch. There is a huge list of representatives of the animal world that fall into grocery basket martens.

Starting from small snails, ending with hares and hedgehogs. Interesting Facts about the pine marten they say that she kills her victim with one bite to the back of the head. The predator does not refuse carrion either.

The animal uses summer and autumn to replenish its body with vitamins. In the course are berries, nuts, fruits, everything that is rich in useful microelements. Some of them the marten prepares for the future and saves in a hollow. The most favorite delicacy of the zheltodarka are blueberries and mountain ash.

Reproduction and life expectancy of the pine marten

In the summer, these begin the rut. One male mates with one or two females. In winter, martens often have a false rut. At this time, they behave restlessly, become belligerent and inflated, but mating does not happen.

Pregnancy of the female lasts 236-274 days. Before giving birth, she takes care of the shelter and settles there until the babies appear. 3-8 cubs are born. Although they are covered with a little fur, the kids are blind and deaf.

Pictured is a young pine marten

Hearing and them erupt only on the 23rd day, and the eyes begin to see on the 28th day. The female can leave the babies for the duration of the hunt. In case of possible danger, she transfers them to more safe place.

At four months they can already live independently, but for some time they live with their mother. The marten lives up to 10 years, and when good conditions her life expectancy is about 15 years.

The pine marten lives in a large area of ​​Europe, and is also found in Mesopotamia and some parts of Asia Minor.

Martens live only in wooded area. These animals can also live in the mountains, but only in those that have a forest.

Martens practically do not live in captivity. Because of this, they are rarely found in zoos. But the Germans managed to create conditions in the zoo for martens as close as possible to natural environment habitat. But in other countries, few people manage to do this.

The appearance of the marten

The body length of the marten varies from 45 to 53 centimeters. Fluffy tail has a length of 20-25 centimeters.

The average weight is 1.5 kilograms. Males are slightly larger than females.

The animal has triangular ears with yellow trim. The color of the skin varies from dark brown to light brown. In winter, the fur is thicker and silkier than in summer.

The legs are short, they have inside hair cover. On the neck there is a rounded spot of yellowish color.

Behavior and nutrition of the marten

Martens are active at dusk and at night. During the day, the animals sleep in tree cavities or in large nests of raptors. Martens spend a lot of time on trees, so they can perfectly climb trunks and jump from one branch to another. They can jump up to 4 meters.

Martens also move quickly on the ground. Each individual owns its own allotment, the boundaries of which are marked with an odorous secret secreted from the anal glands. If the boundaries are violated by a stranger, then conflicts arise between the animals. But in females and males, the ranges may overlap. The area of ​​the territories may vary depending on the time of the year. So, in summer there are more plots than in winter time.

Listen to the marten's voice

Martens have sharp teeth, thanks to which they easily cope with animal and vegetable food. The diet of martens consists of voles, small birds and eggs.

Also, animals eat insects, reptiles and even carrion. The marten kills its victim by biting it on the back of the head. From vegetable food martens use berries, nuts and honey. In autumn, the animals store food for the winter.

Reproduction and lifespan

The gestation period for martens is 7 months. Babies are born in March-April. The female gives birth to 3-4 cubs, which weigh about 30 grams each.

After 4 months after birth, the offspring becomes independent, but remains with the mother until the next spring. Life span in wild nature is 8-9 years old. In captivity, if suitable conditions for life are created, martens can live up to 16-18 years.

Do you know why the stone marten is called that? Where does this cute little animal live? What does it eat? Can a stone marten live at home? We will try to answer these and many other questions in this article.

External features

The marten is one of the most widespread predators of the class Mammals. This small animal, which has a slender and flexible body, fluffy hair, is a serious enemy for many birds and animals. To date, scientists distinguish 8 types of martens. The most famous of them are stone and forest varieties.

The stone marten has an elongated fluffy and long tail. Her limbs are short. This animal has a triangular face. set high. Many people think that this animal is very similar to a ferret. There are undeniable similarities. The main difference is a forked light spot on the marten's chest, passing in two stripes to the front legs. But it is necessary to know that the Asian population of the species may not have a spot at all.

The coat of the animal is rather hard, painted in a grayish-brown or brownish-yellow hue. The eyes are dark. At night they glow reddish. The stone marten, the photo of which you can see in this article, leaves clearer marks on the ground than its forest "relative". This one moves little predator jumps, while the hind legs clearly fall on the trail of the front. As a result, prints remain, which hunters call "two-beads".

The white-haired marten (stone marten) differs significantly from the forest individual. She has little longer tail, the spot on the neck has a yellowish tint, the nose is darker, the feet are covered with hair. The stone marten is heavier and smaller in size. The body length of an adult animal is 55 centimeters, the tail is 30 cm. Weight is from 1 to 2.5 kg. Males are noticeably larger than females.

Stone marten: distribution area

This animal lives in the treeless mountains of Altai in the Caucasus, in the floodplain forests of Ciscaucasia, and sometimes in the cities and parks of the southern regions of Russia. This type of martens is widespread in Eurasia, in Mongolia and in the Himalayas.

It is also found in Ukraine, in Kazakhstan, Belarus, in Central and Central Asia. This animal does not live in forests, preferring open spaces with small shrubs and rare single trees, rocky terrain. That is why the animal was so named. Surprisingly, this small animal is not afraid of people at all, it can often be found in basements and sheds, in the attics of residential buildings.

Are you interested in the issue of home maintenance? In captivity, the stone marten practically does not live. For this reason, it is rarely seen even in large zoos. True, in Germany, in the Central Zoo of Berlin, the Germans managed to create almost ideal conditions as close as possible to their natural habitat.

Subspecies

Biologists have divided all stone martens into four subspecies.

1. European blond. Lives in some areas of the European part of the former Soviet Union and Western Europe.
2. Crimean white lady. As it is already clear, this is a resident of the Crimea. It has a slightly different tooth structure from other relatives, a small skull and a lighter color.
3. Caucasian white lady. This is the largest subspecies living in Transcaucasia, having valuable shiny fur and beautiful underfur.
4. The Central Asian white-haired woman chose Altai as her place of residence. Her chest patch is poorly developed. Has very thick fur.

Behavior in the natural environment

The stone marten is active at dusk and at night. During the day they sleep in the hollows of trees or nest in the nests of feathered predators. Most martens spend their lives on the branches of trees, so they feel very confident there - they climb trunks, jump from branch to branch. Their jump can reach 4 meters.

Martens quickly move on the ground. Each individual owns its own allotment, the boundaries of which it marks with a special secret. If the territory is violated by a stranger, then a conflict is possible between the animals. True, in males and females, the ranges quite often intersect. The area of ​​such allotments varies depending on the time of year. AT summer time more plots than in winter.

What does a marten eat

Martens are predators, so the basis of their diet is small animals - rodents, squirrels, rabbits, birds. Rural residents note that these animals are quite frequent guests of chicken coops. When the birds begin to rush about in a panic, even a completely well-fed marten will not be able to suppress its hunting instinct - it will pass all the birds.

Having caught their prey, predators break her vertebrae, suck out warm blood with her tongue folded into a tube. The stone marten is able to catch up and grab a bird that has lost its vigilance or climb into a nest and eat eggs. In summer, these animals catch various insects, frogs. Sometimes martens add plant foods to their diet, usually berries or fruits.

Hunting stone marten with traps

For experienced hunter marten is a worthy trophy. It is cunning, agile and fast predator, which is capable of avoiding various obstacles during the chase, maneuvering and hiding in the trees. The official season starts in November. As we have already said, this nocturnal predator(stone marten). Hunting is possible only at night. Only in this case you will not return home empty-handed.

by the most effective way hunting for this animal is the use of traps. Most often, trap number 1 is used. Each hunter has own secrets their installations. Let's share one of them. Traps should be set on tree branches at a height of from one to two meters, then they will not be covered with snow. And when the animal falls into a trap, he will not have a chance to get out (in limbo).

The bait trap must be placed near well-trodden forest paths. Hunting is not mass, since the number of these animals is not too large. In addition, it is quite difficult to get such an animal. Nevertheless, for the most adventurous hunters, the marten is a welcome trophy.

View: Marten - Martes (lat.)
Family: Kunya
Squad: Predatory
Class: mammals
Type: chordates
Subtype: Vertebrates
Dimensions:
body length - 33-56 cm, tail - 17-28 cm, height at the withers - 15 cm
weight - 0.5-2.4 kg
Lifespan: up to 20 years in captivity

A resident of forests, the marten prefers the upper tier of centuries-old spruces and pines. Nimble and unusually agile, she quickly climbs trees, makes dizzying jumps and grabs prey on the fly. Under the fragile body beats the heart of a ruthless and bloodthirsty hunter. Let's see what a marten looks like, a photo, what it eats and where it lives.

Habitat

Preferring forest lands, martens quite widely inhabited the territory of the Earth. Their range starts from Western Siberia, extends to the forests of Scotland and Ireland, affects the northern regions, and continues its way south, into the forest expanses of the Caucasus and the Mediterranean.

In terms of landscape, the animal chooses mature forests, with a sufficient number of hollow trees and abundant deadwood. It is in such an environment that the little predator feels comfortable, arranging a house in hollows, she rarely descends to the ground, moving along the branches and trunks of trees.

Interesting! Using its tail as a balance beam, the marten makes jumps of 4 meters, jumping from tree to tree.

Characteristic

Possessing acute hearing, smell and vision, the large marten leads night image life. She does not stay long in one place and is not tied to one lair. The animal easily finds shelter in squirrel hollows and bird nests, having previously destroyed them. The flexible body allows the animal to squeeze into narrow gaps between the stones and arrange daytime rest there.

The marten likes a solitary lifestyle. Pairs are formed only to produce offspring. An excellent hunter, an animal, looking for food for itself, also performs another important mission, regulating the number of small rodents in its territory. Surprisingly, in one day of hunting, the animal can cover a distance of 20 km. Winding intricate loops around its territory, the animal seeks out prey until it is satisfied. Having eaten, the marten lays down to rest in the nearest tree trunk or hollow from the hunting place.

Appearance

The slender, long body of the marten is covered with fur with no less long pile. AT Ancient Russia Marten fur was highly valued and served as a monetary unit. Sheaves of marten skins were used to pay for goods and services, from which the kuna also received its name.

• On the throat and along the bottom of the neck of the animal passes a beautiful yellow spot, often taking bizarre forms of drops that accidentally fell on the animal's body.
• The neat muzzle is elongated into a sharp triangle. The head is crowned with rather large ears, with slightly rounded edges.

• The fluffy tail of the animal can be equal in length to the body. There are five toes on the paws, with semi-retractable claws, which help the marten deftly climb trees and securely grab prey.

• The fur changes its color depending on the season: in winter it is dark brown, with yellowish hues, in summer it fades and is significantly reduced in length.
• The back is colored darker, and the sides and abdomen take on light shades of the main color.

Interesting! Among the large family of mustelids, there are individuals with yellow and silver fur, like the marten, in one of the species of which, the Nilgir marten, the throat is painted in a bright orange color.

Key Features

Not favoring walking on the ground, the marten most often finds the animal on branches or in hollows of trees. Throughout its life, the marten moves by jumping, leaving paired paw prints on the snow and ground. Without drastically changing the area of ​​residence, the animal can have several shelters on the territory for sleeping and breeding cubs. A small predator does not leave its site even when it becomes bad with food.

In hunting, he prefers night time, visiting nests of birds, hollows of squirrels, and guards of small rodents, sitting comfortably on a tree branch. Small, but surprisingly brave and strong, the marten can cope with a hare and wring the neck of a capercaillie.

It is not uncommon for martens to visit chicken coops. Unable to carry away all the prey, the animal can strangle all the chickens, for which it deserved the just wrath of people. However, it is a mistake to think that it is greed that guides the animal. Everything is much simpler: frightened by the invasion of a predator, the birds begin to rush about randomly, warming up the predatory instinct of the animal, so it “calms” both them and itself.

Nutrition

Interesting! The marten loves to visit bee hives, feasting on honey and larvae there. She will not pass by a fat caterpillar either.

Such omnivorousness helps the animal in years that are not rich in small game. In addition, the marten willingly makes stocks for the winter, clogging the hollows with plant products.

reproduction

Puberty occurs at the age of 14 months in both the female and the male. However, mating usually occurs at the age of 2 - 3 years. mating season comes in early June and lasts until July. At this time, females go into heat, which last about 4 days, with an interval of 6 - 17 days.

Interesting! Pregnancy of a marten lasts about 28 days, but before that there is a latent stage of development, lasting 235 - 275 days.

One female brings from 2 to 7 puppies, which stay with their mother for 3 months. If the birth was late, then the puppies can live in their native den until spring.

Breeding, fishing, commercial value

Of the mustelid family, only a few species are not of interest in terms of fur production. Most, starting with the king of sable fur, are considered valuable fur-bearing animals. Gorgeous marten fur coats adorn the wardrobes of modern fashionistas and are inexpensive. Practical and beautiful marten fur can withstand 7 seasons of wear and rightfully occupies one of the leading positions in the popularity lists.

Interesting! The structure of marten fur is well ventilated without retaining dust particles, which increases its hypoallergenic properties.

The annual hunting for the marten is strictly limited due to the limited number of the animal in its habitats. At fur auctions, the sale of marten skins is limited to 500 pieces. In the methods of hunting for an animal, fishing with a dog remains the best. Traps and snares into which the animal falls do not provide high-quality raw materials. During the time that the hunter takes to check the traps, small rodents and other predators manage to spoil the fur.

To meet industrial needs, martens are actively bred on fur farms. Attempts to buy a marten for home content often end in failure. It is difficult to find puppies obtained in captivity, and those brought from the forest either die or require special conditions for normal development. A marten is not kept in a small cage; for it, it is necessary to build a large aviary equipped with trees, hidden manholes and other attributes of the free life of the animal.

In nature, animals rarely live up to 5 - 6 years, but in captivity, with proper care, they successfully grow old, living 18 - 20 years.