American Martens are often incorrectly identified as “pine martens” because of their resemblance to their European relatives but are a distinctly different species. The small mammals are larger than squirrels and chipmunks but have the same lightning fast agility and nimbleness. New York State’s American Marten population are primarily centralized in the Adirondack Park which is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States (bigger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Park combined). The highest concentrations in the High Peaks Region of Adirondack Park where Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort is located.
American Martens are fiesty little creatures who will fight with each other in defense of territory or to establish dominance during mating season. Male pelts often show signs of scarring on the head and shoulders, suggesting frequent scraps. Once such aggressive confrontation was caught on video by a ski patroller at Whiteface Mountain who managed to pull out their phone in time to capture this male on male melee through a mogul section of the iconic ski resort.
AMERICAN MARTEN FUN FACTS:
– A group of martens is called a “richness.”
-Martens can be distinguished from fishers, another member of the Mustelidae family, because martens are smaller, have orange on their throats and chests, and have pointier ears and snouts. Both martens and fishers are larger and have bushier tails than weasels and minks.
-American martens have semi-retractable claws and are excellent tree climbers
