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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about martens. Be sure to subscribe for more animal episodes! Dasha Dance requested these cuties. There are just under ten species of martens, and they are all found within the northern hemisphere.

Their habitat can vary based on where they live. Some martens prefer old, hardwood forests, while others can be found high up on mountain sides where hardly any trees exists, others may also be found in grasslands or marshes, with different species living in rainforests or even close to human settlements.

One thing that is universally sure in regards to martens, however, is that they are exceptional climbers. They have long claws on their front feet that allow them to scurry up a tree, or even the side of a building, quick as a flash. Martens spend a large majority of their time in trees (at least the ones who live in areas with arboreal habitats), but they do most of their hunting on the ground.

Martens are typically considered top predators in their environments. I know, this barely the size of a house cat weasel-like creature might look adorable and ready to snuggle, but they are fierce hunters with some species able to take down the size of deer! Okay, admittedly it sounds more impressive when you don’t provide the species of deer, but I mean, they do have vampire teeth!

Yellow-throated martens specifically are able to take down musk deer because they hunt in small packs, but this is actually abnormal behavior for most marten species. Generally, martens are solitary and take smaller prey items such as rodents, reptiles, birds, insects, and even fruits and seeds. These last two items are important to notes because martens are considered fantastic seed dispersers within their territories. Many martens, especially the males, can have large home ranges meaning they travel a lot which provides more opportunity to spread seeds via scat. I’m assuming you all know what that is…

Although martens are top predators, they do have to watch out for threats in the form of bears, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, tigers, and birds of prey. Martens are also taken by humans for domestication and fur. Not all martens have fur that is desirable, but some species are caught specifically for their soft, bushy fur. Apparently females may be more of a prize, but in places like Japan they’re protected to help maintain wild populations. While martens have been bred in captivity, it is not an easy process - and that goes both for humans trying to breed them and the martens themselves.

Female martens breed at different times of the year depending on the species, but they remain pregnant for almost ⅔ of the year. This is because fertilized marten eggs don’t implant into the walls of the female’s uterus until the time is just right. When this happens, the babies only take about a month to develop, at which point they are birthed during spring, a time when food is plentiful both for mom and babies. It’s thought this is why there is a delay in marten egg development.

It takes only a few months for the babies to reach adult size, and they’ll become independent shortly after. They may begin breeding at just one year of age, but usually it takes two to three years before they’re successful with this. Martens are able to live well past a decade, though they do tend to live longer in captivity.

In Japan, martens are part of the yokai, or mysterious spirits, of legends. Martens are seen as trickster figures such as the more commonly known in the West kitsune or tanuki. It’s believed that seeing a group of martens near a homestead means certain disaster in the form of a fire to the building. Good thing they don’t commonly travel in groups!

For more facts on martens, check out the links in the description. Thank you for watching, and give a thumbs up for more Animal Fact Files!