The treetops of large forest areas are his territory. The pine marten is considered the most ingenious acrobat among European mammals. We can rarely admire his climbing skills, because the shy forest dweller - in contrast to the stone marten - avoids being close to people. This profile will familiarize you with fascinating details about the noble marten. Read here how the little predator lives, what food he prefers and what natural enemies he has to fight.
Profile: Pine marten
- Genus real marten (Martes) within the family of canine predators
- Name of the species: Pine marten (Martes martes)
- Further designation: Noble marten
- Distribution area: contiguous forests in Europe and West Asia up to the tree line
- Head to torso length: 45 to 58 cm (without the bushy tail)
- Tail length: 16 to 28 cm
- Weight: 800 to 1800 grams
- Coat color: chestnut to dark brown
- Typical characteristics: yellow, non-bifurcated throat spot (yellow throat)
- Ears: short, triangular with thin, yellow edges
- Short legs with very hairy paws
- Strong teeth with 38 teeth
- Activity: mainly crepuscular and nocturnal
- Life expectancy: up to 10 years in the wild, up to 16 years in captivity
The long, bushy tail serves the pine marten as an organ of equilibrium when it swings from branch to branch at a height of up to 10 meters. The furry acrobat makes jumps of up to 4 meters. The low body fat percentage, paired with a slim shape, optimize the climbing and jumping abilities of the agile predator. The forest dweller compensates for the lack of a thick layer of fat as insulation against the cold with an extra thick winter coat, to which it owes its name to the noble marten. The silky winter fur made the pine marten a sought-after prey for a long time. Therefore, the beautiful fur bearer has become rare in many regions. In 2014 the noble marten was removed from the list of huntable species.
Diet and Lifestyle
Pine marten are omnivores with a pronounced predilection for small mammals, birds and eggs. The loners spend most of the day in one of their nests, which are located in tree hollows. Sometimes the clever forest dwellers also convert an abandoned squirrel cob or an empty bird of prey nest into a den. At the onset of dusk, the robber goes in search of food in the forest on and under the trees, always at a safe distance from people. This prey is on his menu:
- Birds and their eggs
- Mice of all kinds
- Frogs and small reptiles
- squirrel
- Insects and snails
- Fruits and nuts
The noble marten kills prey with a targeted bite on the neck. It rarely eats its prey on site. Rather, the predator likes to transport its food to the next tree in order to partially consume it there in peace and to deposit the remains. The pine marten builds up various stores for the cold season, because it does not take a winter break. He doesn't have to fear the harsh winter. Frosty temperatures reduce the flight distance of its preferred prey, so that it can even reduce its territory by up to 50 percent in winter without going hungry.
Natural enemies
A natural enemy from the animal kingdom for the pine marten is primarily the fox. The wild dog is widespread in Europe and shares the habitat with the pine marten. Both robbers are out in the twilight and at night, so encounters are inevitable that do not end well for the smaller and lighter marten.
The pine marten is a much sought-after prey for eagles and eagle owls. Nocturnal hunters, like the lynx, also target careless golden throats. However, these enemies have become just as rare as the pine marten itself. Therefore, humans occupy the undisputed top position in the inglorious ranking of fatal adversaries. In earlier times, hunters were after the silky fur of the forest dweller. Today the marten lacks living space, since contiguous forest areas are being destroyed by humans.
Reproduction and parental leave
Pine marten live as territorial loners. Males mark their territory with scent marks and defend it vehemently against same-sex competitors. However, the territory of one male often overlaps with the territory of several females. At the mating season (Ranzzeit) in midsummer it is high in the treetops when the competing males hissing and screeching to stand out in front of a female ready to mate as the perfect producer for the Offspring.
The gestation period of a female extends over about 8 months because an egg rest ensures that the 8 to 10 cm young cubs are the light of day in spring
Tip: Pine martens are the cross-country skiers among the real martens. On their short legs, they cover 5 to 8 kilometers on the ground in one night when the robbers are on their prey. If the food supply is scarce, golden throats cover an impressive 15 kilometers in search of a meal.
Distinguish between pine marten and stone marten
Due to their close relationship, pine marten and stone marten look very similar. With regard to their way of life, both species of marten differ significantly. Above all, the stone marten specifically seeks closeness to humans, which leads to numerous conflicts. Many a costly engine failure can be attributed to the stone marten because he likes to nibble on cables. In addition, he likes to hang around in attics and act as a nocturnal poltergeist that robs the human occupants of sleep. You can distinguish pine marten and stone marten using the following characteristics:
Throat patch
- Pine marten: yellow and not forked
- Beech marten: white and divided into two forks
height and weight
- Pine marten: 80 to 85 cm long, 800 to 1,800 grams in weight
- Beech marten: 40 to 75 cm long, 1,100 to 2,300 grams in weight
nose
- Pine marten: dark
- Beech marten: light to pink
Paws
- Pine marten: very hairy
- Beech marten: no hair
Obviously, both species of marten avoid each other because no crossbreeding has occurred so far. Pine marten and stone marten are therefore shining examples of evolution of how related predators divide up their habitat in order to avoid destructive food competition.