BIOLOGICAL DATA AND HABITAT REQUIREMENTS
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Martes americana | American Marten 



TIMING OF MAJOR LIFE HISTORY EVENTS : 
Minimum breeding age - 1 year for males
                       2 years for females
Breeding season - late July to August
Gestation period - active gestation is 27 days following delayed
                   implantation
Birthing season - April, two to four young
Maximum lifespan - 17 years in captivity



PREFERRED HABITAT : 
American martens prefer dense, old-growth conifer and mixed stands.  Stands must
have sufficient understory to support various rodents, such as mice
(Cricetids) and voles ( Microtines), the major food source.  Martens
usually den in rotten logs.  They may also den in rock slides and slash
piles [4].


COVER REQUIREMENTS : 
Cover requirements for American martens include dense conifer or mixed forests
with 40 to 60 percent canopy closure.  They will avoid areas that are so
dense that herbaceous cover is suppressed [12].  Dense understory,
including slash or rotten logs and stumps, is necessary for denning and
hiding [18].  Open areas adjacent to these forests will be used for
hunting only if they provide adequate hiding cover and food.
Uneven-aged stands are most beneficial because their vegetation is more
diverse which leads to a greater food base [1,11,12].


FOOD HABITS : 
American martens prey on small mammals, particularly mice and voles.  Other small
mammal prey include ground squirrels (Spermophilus spp.), flying
squirrels (Glaucomys spp.), chipmunks (Eutamias spp.), and snowshoe
hares (Lepus americanus).  The American marten's diet can also include insects,
various fruits and nuts, and passerine birds [1,14].


PREDATORS : 
Amer5ican marten predators include man, bear (Ursus spp.), mountain lion (Felis
concolor), lynx (F. lynx), bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis
latrans), gray wolf (C. lupus), eagles (Accipitrines), and the
great-horned owl (Bubo virginianus).


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Koehler and others [12] listed some management recommendations for the
American marten.  During winter American marten need old-growth forests on mesic sites
with a canopy cover exceeding 30 percent.  In winter, they rarely cross
openings greater than 300 feet (90 m) and do not hunt in openings.
Mature forests may support more American marten in certain areas, but diverse
forest communities support more American marten over time.  In summary, openings
should be small, undisturbed, old-growth forests on mesic sites, and
forest diversity must be maintained.  American martens can tolerate human
activity; however, road closures after logging are important to ensure
the geographical isolation that American martens require.


REFERENCES : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Martes americana | American Marten