In which forests does the marten live? Stone and pine martens: description with photos, where they live, video, features of marten hunting

The pine marten is a polyphagous predator, so its existence does not depend on the abundance of any one food. The most important groups of pine marten food 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 area and each season has its own set of feeds and specific gravity everyone. They also do not remain the same from year to year. Dietary variability depends on geographical location area, which most of all determines the species composition of food, and on the time of year, which determines the availability of food and the degree of its accessibility for the pine marten, and finally, on the abundance (yield) of each food.

There is a very definite pattern in the geographic variability of the pine marten's diet - the degree of carnivory increases from south to north, and polyphagism increases from north to south. This is reflected in the variability of the masticatory apparatus. From north to south, the food of the pine marten naturally decreases in mammals, birds, especially from the grouse family, as well as bird eggs. On the contrary, the occurrence of mouse-like rodents among mammals and insects increases from north to south.

IN coniferous taiga plant foods are more common during the snowless period of the year. On the contrary, in the southernmost zones it is snowy. 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, squirrel 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, blueberries and mouse-like rodents are typical food mainly during the snowless period, and during the snowy period, except for the latter, they are absent or much less common.

Well-defined sexual dimorphism is observed in the diet of the pine marten. In the food of the weaker and smaller in size and weight of the female, hares, capercaillie, and black grouse, i.e., larger prey, are not found. On the contrary, hazel grouse and mouse-like rodents are more common in its food than in males.

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

The basis of the pine marten's diet everywhere are mouse-like rodents, mainly voles, and among the latter - mainly red and red ones. Only in the northwestern Caucasus are they replaced by local 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. High numbers cause the concentration of martens in habitats that are not typical for them: in clearings, burnt areas, along forest 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 minimum food supply in hungry years. During the snowless period of the year, when the prey of mouse-like rodents is much easier for martens, their share in the latter’s diet increases.

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

It has long been a widely held belief that the pine marten feeds primarily on squirrels. It is clear from the tables above that this is far from true; The pine marten can survive very well even where there are no squirrels at all, for example in the Caucasus, where the marten thrives. Even now, after the squirrel has settled 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 significantly more available food than in winter, the importance of squirrel in nutrition drops sharply. The secret destruction of squirrels by martens has not yet been substantiated by facts.

In recent years, the role of the pine marten (as well as sable for Siberia) in reducing the number of squirrels has been intensively clarified. 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 accessibility for the marten of its main food. 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 squirrels is much less. It is believed that in the European North the pine marten is not able to influence the dynamics of the squirrel population, much less determine it. It causes noticeable damage to the local squirrel population only in those rare years when a low number of squirrels coincides with an equally low number of grouse birds, mouse-like rodents, and there are many martens at the same time.

The abundance of squirrels in nature does not cause an increase in its occurrence in the marten’s diet, especially if there are a lot of voles. As was noted in Pechora, the increased occurrence of squirrels in marten food is also associated with an increased occurrence in nature of weakened and sick squirrels.

In the diet of the pine marten of the European taiga and partly the mixed forest zone, grouse birds are of significant importance: capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse and white partridge. Of these, the most common victim of the marten is the hazel grouse. The marten preys on grouse birds mainly in their snowy burrows, roosting for the night, so in the summer their occurrence in the marten’s food drops noticeably and becomes more or less random. Traces in the snow can often be used to trace unsuccessful hunts of pine martens for capercaillie or hazel grouse. The number of grouse birds in marten food usually increases in years of decline in the number of voles and squirrels. Capercaillie is found on 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 also occurs in Vologda region. The white hare is also found only in the food of males. In Central forest reserve There were individual male hare keepers who specialized in chasing and preying on hares. Their daily trail was often especially long.

Hunting small birds - characteristic pine marten, although their share in the diet is very small. This is determined by the small size of the prey. Hollow nesters predominate among the birds hunted: woodpeckers, tits, nuthatches.

Shrews in marten food are either a random element or a sign of an acute lack of basic food. Sometimes, in some winters, it appears in the marten’s food. common mole, and quite often. This is due to the death of moles when the taiga soil freezes strongly during winters with little snow. Also, special circumstances cause the appearance of eggs of grouse birds, mainly wood grouse, in the marten’s winter diet. This is associated with death in early spring entire clutches of eggs 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 martens find the remains of frogs and their eggs in the remains of food in winter. This is observed in winters with little food, when the predator manages to find a wintering concentration of frogs somewhere on a melted stream. .In Tatarstan, on Maly Cheremshan, traces of a marten were repeatedly observed walking on the ice of a river where an American mink was hunting for frogs. The mink often left frogs in the snow and the marten picked them up.

IN southern parts range of the species during 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 zone Wasps, bumblebees and bees are more common in food. Beetles predominate in the Caucasus. In the taiga, the importance of this food group is naturally less, as are the food items themselves. Having discovered 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 first place. Other fruits, including bird cherry, are of secondary importance. Only in the upper reaches of the Pechora does the pine “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 rowan in winter, far from in accordance with its availability and accessibility. She uses rowan fruits very sparingly, especially when there is a lot of other food. Where there is no cedar in the taiga, rowan and other plant foods appear in the food of martens in winters, when there is little basic food. In the southern parts of the range, fruits, especially in autumn and winter, are much more important for the marten than in the taiga. In the northwestern Caucasus, along with a whole list of wild fruits (including rowan), yew fruits, which are poisonous to humans, are also of significant importance.

Polyphagism is a very characteristic feature of the pine marten. It allows her to switch to others if there is a shortage of one feed. However, comparison of combinations in one stomach different numbers feed with the degree of fullness of the stomach and the fatness of the animal shows that the diversity in daily ration- a negative sign, indicating a lack of basic, complete feed. Analysis of long-term data on the nutrition of the pine marten also shows that, along with the existing relationship between the degree of abundance of basic food in nature and the frequency of their occurrence in the diet, there is another relationship - a decrease in the occurrence of one of the groups of food causes an increase in the consumption of another group or groups, regardless depending on the abundance of these foods in nature. In general, due to polyphagism, pine martens do not experience deep and long-term depressions in numbers, primarily where conditions are more favorable for them. However, although rare, there are seasons when most of the main food in nature is scarce, and martens starve.

From Table 68 on the diet of the pine marten, it is clear that during the snowless period, due to a more diverse and more accessible range of food, the occurrence of mouse-like rodents, mainly forest voles, bird eggs, insects and their larvae, as well as fruits, increases noticeably. At the same time, the occurrence of more difficult to obtain food is decreasing: squirrels, grouse birds. It has already been said above that this general position there are a number of local deviations. Thus, 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 importance of grouse decreases and increases the role of small birds, and lizards also appear, the importance of shrews - forced food, and squirrels - decreases.

The marten’s stomach holds an amount of food equal to 1/10 of the animal’s live weight - this is nature’s optimal daily norm. It is not achieved often. The fullest stomachs held 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 she leaves part of the carcass. To assess the overall food supply of martens in a given year and season, the researcher has data on the average stomach fullness with food (by weight) and 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 Tatarstan, the filling is about 44% (32 g) . All this corresponds to the geographical variability of the marten’s diet in different areas of its habitat and the duration of its 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 average weight(without empty ones) - from 10.6 to 37.1 g. In Vologda pine martens over 4 winter seasons, the average weight of stomach contents ranged from 25.5 to 35.5 g (average - 29.3 g); the maximum was 126 g (frog and its eggs). 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 the highest percentage of empty stomachs is also found.

Martens (Martes) are a genus of predatory animals from the mustelidae family, known for their graceful, flexible build, feline grace and valuable fur.

In addition to the martens themselves, the genus includes kharza, ilka and sable, a total of 8 species of animals that share common biological characteristics and habits. Differences between predators are expressed in body size, fur color, some individual characteristics and habitats.

What do martens look like?

Martens are medium-sized animals, with a very elongated, squat body and short legs, and males are a third larger than females. The paws of predators end in five free fingers armed with strong and sharp claws. Interesting feature marten is fine motor skills hands, developed like a 3 year old child.

The marten's tail is long and fluffy and not only serves as decoration for the animal, but also provides balance when jumping and climbing trees.

Martens have a small, neat head with a sharp muzzle and short, triangular ears with rounded tips. Like all predators, martens have sharp teeth, perfectly adapted for hunting, and when defending themselves, a marten can seriously injure even an adult.

The fur of different species of martens differs markedly, but the summer coat is usually short and coarse, and the winter coat is long and silky. Martens are colored very differently, although the predominant tones are various variations of brown.

Habitat and lifestyle

Martens are widespread in temperate climatic zone Eurasia and North America, some species are preferred by deaf people forested areas, others stick to more open landscapes and even settle near human habitation.

These animals lead a semi-arboreal and terrestrial lifestyle, hunt mainly at night and at dawn, and during the day they rest in their lairs, built in tree hollows and abandoned nests. birds of prey. Being territorial animals, martens mark individual areas with the secretion of the anal glands and carefully protect them from attacks by individuals of their own sex.

Nutrition and reproduction

Martens are omnivores, and the basis of their diet consists of small rodents (squirrels, voles, rats), birds and their eggs. Sometimes martens eat reptiles, frogs and insects, and will not refuse carrion. In summer, predators happily eat berries, fruits and nuts.

The hunting method of martens is quite cruel and effective: the animal breaks the cervical vertebrae of the victim, immediately curls its tongue into a tube and drinks blood from live prey.

Martens reach reproductive age at the age of 2-3 years, mating season occurs in spring and summer. Due to delayed embryo implantation, pregnancy lasts from 8 to 12 months, with the exception of the Harza, which carries offspring for 120 days. 3-4 cubs are born, the offspring mature in about a month, at the age of 2 months they begin to wean themselves off mother’s milk, and at 4 months the cubs are already leading an independent life.

IN natural conditions few martens live to be 10 years old, but in captivity, with proper care, they live up to 16 years.

These predators are also called wallflowers, due to the round yellowish spot located on the throat, and the overall fur color is brown or chestnut. average value adult individuals are about 45-58 cm with a body weight of 800 g to 1.8 kg.

The pine marten prefers to live in trees much more than its relatives, and its range extends through dense forests throughout Europe and the western regions of Asia. Pine martens are excellent acrobats, deftly climbing and jumping on tree branches, while their feet are able to turn 180 degrees.

This marten received its second name - white-haired marten due to white spot on the neck, which, unlike its forest relative, is divided, may reach the front legs or be completely absent. The fur of predators is greyish-brown in color, rough and of no particular commercial value, but they are often exterminated as pests that carry chickens and rabbits, and also chew through hoses and car wiring.

Stone martens are smaller, but heavier than their forest relatives, their average height is 40-55 cm, and their body weight reaches 1.1-2.3 kg. Other distinctive features of the animals are a light nose and hairless feet.

The range of the stone marten covers a significant territory of Eurasia, and for the purpose of fur hunting, these animals were specially brought to the North American state of Wisconsin. The stone marten can often be found in rocky landscapes and other open areas with sparse vegetation. These predators are the only ones of their kind that are not afraid of humans, so they often set up their shelters in attics, sheds and stables.

Representatives of the species resemble pine martens in appearance, but are distinguished by a more varied overall fur color: from light yellow to reddish and brown. As a rule, the neck of predators is lighter, and the legs and tail are dark brown.

These martens grow up to 32 - 45 cm, with a body weight of 470 g to 1.3 kg. Distinctive feature The species has 2 black longitudinal stripes coming from the eyes.

Predators prefer to settle in dense forests; their range extends across North America, and the highest population density is observed in Alaska and Canada.

These predators are also called yellow-breasted or Ussuri martens, and they are the largest and most variegated representatives of the genus. Adults grow up to 55 - 80 cm in length and weigh up to 5.7 kg. The fur on the back is golden brown, the head and muzzle are black, the chin is white, the neck and chest are bright yellow, and the paws and tail are dark brown.

Kharza is widespread in Korea, China, India, Pakistan and many other Asian countries. On the territory of Russia it is found in the Amur region and Primorye; animals were also brought to Crimea, Dagestan, Adygea, where they successfully took root. Favorite places Kharza's habitat is taiga forests, where the animal is considered one of the most dangerous predators, and primarily prefers musk deer as prey.

This marten is colored in the most bizarre way: its top part the body is dark brown, and the chest and throat are a bright orange-yellow color. The size of adult individuals ranges from 55 to 70 cm and weighs 2-2.5 kg.

Nilgiri harza is an endemic, little-studied species found only in South India. These animals are known to be active during the day and prefer to live in trees.

Other names for predators are fishing marten or pecan, although these animals practically do not eat fish. These animals are quite large and grow in length from 75 to 120 cm and weigh 2-5 kg. Their long, dense, but rough fur is dark brown in color with a silvery tint on the head.

Ilka lives in the coniferous forests of North America and, more than other martens, prefers to walk on the ground, so she often builds her shelters in holes or directly in the snow.

The average size of this animal is only 56 cm, however, the sable is one of the most powerful and dexterous taiga predators leading a terrestrial lifestyle. The color of sable can be very diverse: from dark brown and almost black, to fawn and light sand.

Photo: young sable.
Sable in the Krasnoyarsk Pillars Nature Reserve.

The sable prefers to settle in difficult forest areas with a predominance of Siberian cedar and is found throughout the taiga from the Urals to the Pacific coast and on the island of Hokkaido.

Photo of a sable.
Sable on a branch.

IN eastern regions In the Urals there lives a hybrid of sable and marten, called kidus, which has inherited the features of both parents.

This medium-sized predator grows up to 54 cm in length and weighs from 1 to 1.6 kg. Japanese sable has yellowish-brown or brown fur with a light marking on the back of the head.

Predators are found both in forests and in more open landscapes, and their range extends across the southern Japanese islands Tsushima, Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu.

Despite the hunting of these animals, the state of the populations of all species of martens today does not cause concern, although some rare subspecies are under state protection.

The pine marten is a mammal from the mustelidae family and the marten genus. This small predatory animal with very valuable fur can be found in most of Europe and Asia. It differs from a ferret only in its triangular muzzle and yellowish chest. This is why the second common name is zheltodushka.

Appearance of a pine marten

• The muzzle is a small, elongated triangular shape with a strong jaw and sharp teeth;
• The ears are triangular, dark with light edges, and rounded at the top;
• The body is slender and flexible;
• Color – from light chestnut to brown, on the chest – a yellow or orange drop-shaped spot;
• The paws are five-fingered with strong feet and curved claws. IN winter time paws become overgrown with fur;
• The tail is large and fluffy; it is more than half the size of the animal’s body. The tail provides balance when jumping and moving through trees.

The length of the marten can be 35-58 cm, and the tail - 15-28 cm. Weight - from 0.5 to 2.4 kg. Males are much larger than females, the difference between them can be up to 30%.

Habitat

The pine marten prefers bushy, dense mixed and deciduous forests; it can be seen less often in coniferous forest. It lives throughout almost all of Europe. On open areas The marten comes out exclusively for hunting and in the dark. During the day the wallflower rests. She chooses several places for her home: hollows or crevices in trees, abandoned nests at a height of no higher than 5 meters. She lives in a certain area for several years.

Lifestyle. Nutrition

Leads night image life. It hides during the day and goes out to hunt at night in the evening. She is an excellent tree climber and can turn her feet 180 degrees. Each individual has its own territory; it is permissible for males and females to overlap their territories.

The marten is omnivorous; it can feed on both plant and animal foods. Its menu depends on its habitat and time of year. By winter, the animal prepares food for itself in hollows. The main diet consists of animal protein foods:

• Bird eggs;
• Birds (woodpeckers, tits, wood grouse, etc.);
• Small rodents (mice, voles, pikas), hares, hedgehogs;
• Insects and their larvae;
• Small fish;
• Snails;
• and their caviar.

The yellowbird very deftly jumps (jump length is 4 meters) through trees, runs quickly and easily catches prey. But it can also feed on carrion. What he doesn’t eat right away, he stores for future use. Depending on the season, the animal eats and plant foods– everything that can be collected without leaving the tree:

• Wild berries (raspberries, lingonberries, blueberries, cherries);
• Wild apples and pears;
• Rose hip;
• Hazelnuts;
• Rowan;
• Honey.

Enemies of the marten

Reproduction

Martens have offspring starting from the third year of life. IN summer months Females go into estrus lasting about 4 days. Males choose several females from neighboring areas at once. Pregnancy lasts up to 274 days, during this period the female chooses a permanent home where she will breed offspring.

The pine marten, also called the yellowjacket, is a mammalian predator. The animal has long fur, which is of considerable value. Externally, the marten looks elegant and graceful, its body is elongated.

The marten's tail is fluffy, covered with fur, quite large, approximately equal in length to the body. The tail not only serves as a decoration, but is also very functional - using it, the marten maintains balance while jumping or moving along tree branches.

The animal's limbs are short and become more woolly during the winter cold. This allows the animal to run without difficulty on ice or snow deposits. Each paw ends in five toes with curved claws that can retract half a size inward.

The muzzle of the pine marten is long and wide, the animal has strong jaw and very sharp teeth. Predator ears have triangular shape, quite large relative to the muzzle. At the tip they are rounded, the edging is yellow.

The marten's nose is black and pointed. The eyes are darkish and at night take on a slightly copper color. When looking at a photograph of an animal, you can experience the most positive emotions. Outwardly, the marten looks affectionate and harmless, its gaze is innocent. The animal’s high-quality fur and amazing color deserve special attention.

The color of the animal's coat can vary from chestnut and light brown to yellowish. On the back, paws and head, the fur usually has a darker shade than on the belly and sides. The tail at the end is most often black.

Characteristic external feature What distinguishes the pine marten from other representatives of the breed is the orange tint of the fur in the neck area, which smoothly flows to the forelimbs. It is from here that another name for the animal, the yellowjacket, takes its name.

The marten is comparable in size to an adult big cat. The length of the body can reach 55 centimeters, the tail is usually about 26 cm. In comparison with an adult male, the female is one third smaller.

Habitat

Almost all Eurasian forests are densely populated by pine martens. These animals live over a vast territory: from the Caucasus and Iran, western Siberia and Corsica, to the lands of Asia Minor and Sicily, to Mediterranean islands and Sardinia.

The animal often chooses forest areas with deciduous trees, Sometimes mixed forests. They can be found much less often in coniferous forest areas. In exceptional cases, the pine marten can live in high mountains, but only where trees are present.

The ideal habitat for the animal is forest areas where there are trees with hollows. The marten enters spacious and open areas only for the purpose of hunting. An area where rocky terrain predominates is not suitable for the animal.

This animal does not arrange a separate and permanent home for itself. Often the wallflower looks for hollows abandoned by squirrels, old nests, and windbreaks, choosing places at a height of 5-6 meters. Here the marten stops to rest during the day.

After evening and night sets in, the graceful predator goes out in search of food, and then heads to the next resting place. However, if severe frosts come to the area where the marten lives, its worldview may change. In this case, the animal lives in the dwelling for a long time, using for food what it has prepared in advance. The yellowbird prefers places remote from people and settlements.

The value of the animal’s fur determines that the pine marten is the most important commercial species of the mustelid breed. Thus, the wallflower experiences sufficient difficulties with reproduction and survival. This is facilitated not only by a decrease in forested areas suitable for the animal to live, but also by an increase in the number of hunters wanting to obtain expensive fur.

Character traits

In comparison with other representatives of the mustelid genus, the yellowthroat is most favorable and reverent about living and hunting directly in trees. She has no problem climbing high up tree trunks. A significant role in this is played by the tenacious and long tail, which the animal uses not only as a rudder, but also as a kind of parachute, allowing it to jump from heights without injury.

The marten is not at all afraid of the very tops of trees; it can easily move from branch to branch, and maximum length The animal's jump can reach four meters. Even on the surface of the earth, she can also make jumps. In addition, the marten is an excellent swimmer, but it can only enter the water in exceptional cases.

The pine marten is distinguished by its agility, dexterity and speed. The animal can cover enormous distances in short term. Many other predators will envy her keen vision, hearing and sense of smell, which assist her in the hunting process. The Yellowfly is quite funny, sweet and curious. In their own flock, martens communicate using sounds similar to growls or purrs. The young of these animals make sounds reminiscent of chirping.

For the most part, these animals prefer to live alone, apart from other representatives of this species. Each animal has its own personal area. The marten demarcates its territory using special scent marks, which are obtained due to the secretion of odorous secretions from the anal glands. The total area of ​​the territory occupied by the animal can reach 5000 hectares. Typically, females have an area that is several times smaller than that of males. In addition, the area of ​​the site may decrease with the onset of the cold season.

Males actively defend their personal territory from other animals of the same sex. In addition, in some females and males, the “allotments” may overlap with each other. Also, if two males meet outside the rutting period, this is usually not accompanied by skirmishes or displays of aggression.

This animal is unpretentious in food and is omnivorous predator. The diet of the pine marten is completely determined by the time of year, its habitat and the ability to find this or that food. But, nevertheless, the main component of its food is food of animal origin. The pine marten's favorite delicacy is common squirrels.

It often happens that the hunter manages to catch a squirrel right inside the hollow. However, if this does not happen, the marten can pursue prey for a long time, moving behind it along tree branches. There is also an impressive list of various small animals for which the marten will gladly open its merciless hunt. These can be classified as regular snails, So wild hares and hedgehogs. It is noteworthy that the predator kills its own prey by inflicting one precise bite on the back of its head. The animal will never disdain carrion.

In summer and autumn period The pine marten is actively engaged in replenishing its own body with essential vitamins. She eats nuts berries, fruits growing on trees and other foods rich in microelements. The wallflower hides a certain amount of food it has caught for the future in a captured hollow. Most of all, this animal loves to eat rowan berries or blueberries.

Lifespan and reproduction

In the summer season, the pine marten begins the rutting period. One adult male chooses one or two females for mating. It is curious that with the onset of winter, martens may enter the so-called false rutting period. In this case, they also show anxiety, aggression and belligerence, but this does not lead to the necessary mating.

After conceiving the offspring, the female carries it for 236-274 days. Before the cubs are born, she arranges her home, making it a shelter. It is there that she remains until the babies are born. Typically, one female gives birth to up to eight cubs. The body of each baby is covered with sparse and short fur; the offspring themselves are initially deaf and blind.

Only after a little more than three weeks do babies begin to hear sounds, and by day 28 their eyes open. If a female needs to hunt, she can leave offspring for a certain time. In cases where he is in danger, the mother takes them to another, fairly safe shelter.

By the age of four months, slightly matured animals can show independence and get their own food, but for some time they remain close to their mother. The average lifespan of a pine marten reaches ten years, but in the most favorable conditions it can reach fifteen years.

Data

The pine marten is quite difficult to breed in an artificial environment. Most numerous groups These animals live in zoos located in Germany and Austria. Also, some fans of funny predators keep them at home. However, it should be understood that it is unknown how exactly a marten will react to a person in apartment conditions. Some representatives will be affectionate and gentle, others will be indifferent, and still others will begin to show a belligerent mood.

Despite their predatory nature, some pine martens are quite timid and timid. At the moment of fright, they undergo a seizure, which occurs with severe convulsions, in some cases, with convulsions. Then after some time the animal freezes. Most often the seizure passes without a trace, but sometimes it ends in the death of the marten.

The list of enemies of this animal includes other predators. These include the wolf, lynx or eagle owl, fox and some birds, for example, the hawk or golden eagle. The marten can successfully hide from terrestrial predators on tall trees. It often happens that larger hunter animals kill yellowjackets not for food, but to eliminate a direct competitor in the food chain.

IN this moment The world population of pine martens numbers about 200 thousand animals. Also, it is curious that the wallflower can mate with representatives of the sable species. In this case, the hybrid turns out to be sterile and is called kindus.

Video: Pine marten (Martes martes)

Do you know why the stone marten is called that way? Where does this small cute 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 common predators of the Mammal class. This small animal, which has a slender and flexible body and fluffy fur, is a serious enemy for many birds and animals. To date, scientists have identified 8 species of martens. The most famous of them are the stone and forest varieties.

The stone marten has an oblong, fluffy and long tail. Her limbs are short. This animal's muzzle is triangular in shape. set high. Many people believe that this animal is very similar to a ferret. There are undoubtedly similarities. The main difference is the forked light spot on the marten’s chest, which passes into two stripes onto the front legs. But you need to know that the Asian population of the species may not have a spot at all.

The animal's fur is quite hard, colored grayish-brown or brownish-fawn. The eyes are dark. At night they glow reddish. The stone marten, a photo of which you can see in this article, leaves clearer marks on the ground than its forest “relative”. This one moves small predator jumping, while hind legs clearly fall on the trail of the front ones. As a result, prints remain that hunters call “double-read.”

The white marten (stone marten) differs significantly from the forest species. She has a 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 the Ciscaucasia, and sometimes in cities and parks in the southern regions of Russia. This type of marten is widespread in Eurasia, Mongolia and the Himalayas.

It is also found in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Central and Central Asia. This animal does not live in forests, preferring open spaces with small bushes and rare single trees, and 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 question about home care? 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 natural environment a habitat.

Subspecies

Biologists have divided all stone martens into four subspecies.

1. European white-haired dog. Lives in some areas of the European part of the former Soviet Union and Western Europe.
2. Crimean white-haired woman. As is already clear, this is a resident of Crimea. It has a slightly different tooth structure from other relatives, a small skull and a lighter color.
3. Caucasian white-haired woman. 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 spot is poorly developed. Has very lush fur.

Behavior in the natural environment

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

Martens also move quickly 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 between animals is possible. True, the ranges of males and females quite often overlap. The area of ​​such plots varies depending on the time of year. IN summer time plots are larger than in winter.

What does a marten eat?

Martens are predators, so their diet is based on 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 around in panic, even a completely well-fed marten will not be able to suppress its hunting instinct - it will kill all the birds.

Having caught their prey, the predators break its vertebrae and suck out the warm blood with their 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 the eggs. In summer, these animals catch various insects and frogs. Sometimes martens add plant foods to their diet, usually berries or fruits.

Hunting stone marten with traps

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

The most effective way Hunting for this animal involves the use of traps. Trap No. 1 is most often used. Each hunter has his own secrets for setting them. Let's share one of them. Traps should be installed on tree branches at a height of one to two meters, then they will not be covered with snow. And when the animal gets caught in a trap, it will have no chance of getting out (in limbo).

A trap with bait must be placed near well-trodden forest paths. Hunting is not widespread, since the number of these animals is not too large. In addition, it is quite difficult to obtain such an animal. Nevertheless, for the most passionate hunters, the marten is a desirable trophy.