American Marten

Martes americana

American Marten. Photo:Mont St-Hilaire Nature Center

These solitary animals spend most of their time in the trees. They are found throughout the whole of Canada except in southern portions of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba. Martens are denizens of the coniferous forest, preferring the year-round cover which is provided by evergreens. Martens are solitary animals which avoid each other as much as possible, traveling in pairs only as mother and child. The males do not associate with other males, but with females. Martens are economically important furbearers and have a relatively desirable coat. Martens are carnivorous and will feed voraciously on mice and other small rodents. Due to the size of the marten, they have few natural enemies except for bobcats, lynx, and in some cases coyotes.

Distribution of American Marten in Canada