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Pine marten

 

High summer is the mating period for pine martens. In recent weeks the otherwise prudent mustelids who only start their doings at twilight, have been seen moving in daytime.

 

The pine marten is the size of a cat, with a long and fluffy tail. The summer colour of the fur may vary individually – brownish or greyish in various shades. The large reddish or yellow ”shirt front” that reaches to between the legs, is striking.

 

Suitable habitats are mixed forests of appropriate size, with a dense ground vegetation, on the coast and the islands juniper thickets. Although the marten climbs and jumps skilfully in trees, it hunts and moves more on the ground. It climbs trees to loot bird or squirrel nests, in case of danger or to eat rowanberries in autumn. It hunts forest-living voles intensely; the acute olfactory sense and trained ear of the marten making it possible.

 

How then does the gestation period of the female pass when the young are not born until next year in April-May? It is even so that during the first six months nothing happens, only in January the egg cell begins to develop.

 

This year’s litter, with two to four young, breaks up in late autumn when all have to care and to feed for themselves. The young martens are still playful and in dusk their play in tree crowns offers an enjoyable view – should one come across it.