| Pacific marten | |
|---|---|
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| In Lassen National Forest, California | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Genus: | Martes |
| Species: | M. caurina |
| Binomial name | |
| Martes caurina (Merriam, 1890) | |
| Subspecies | |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Pacific marten (Martes caurina) is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. It is found throughout western North America.
The species was formerly considered conspecific with the American marten (M. americana), but several studies using molecular genetics indicate that M. caurina is a distinct species from it, and it has since been recognized as such by the American Society of Mammalogists. [2] The two species also have some morphological differences, with M. caurina having a shorter rostrum and a broader cranial shape. The two species are thought to have diverged during the Last Glacial Maximum after being isolated from one another in glacial refugia. [3] [4] [5] [6]
7 subspecies have been recognized based on fossil history, cranial analysis, and mitochondrial DNA analysis. [7] None of the subspecies are separable based on morphology, and subspecies taxonomy is usually ignored except with regards to conservation issues centered around subspecies rather than ranges. [8]
Martes caurina subspecies group: [9]
M. c. sierrae is considered a vulnerable subspecies by NatureServe. [10]
The Pacific marten has a wide but fragmented distribution throughout western North America; this distribution is thought to be a consequence of the pattern in which it colonized new areas as the ice sheets retreated. Its range extends from the Alexander and Haida Gwaii archipelagos south along the Pacific Northwest coast to Humboldt County, California, and east to the southern Rocky Mountains, reaching as far south as New Mexico. [5] [11] A broad hybrid zone between the Pacific and American martens is known to exist in the Columbia Mountains, as well as Kupreanof and Kuiu Islands in Alaska. [5] The species is known to inhabit deciduous and coniferous forests in areas such as the Pacific Northwest of the United States, [12] and through the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. In Oregon, Pacific martens occur in higher terrain due to their ability to survive larger snow levels. They are separated in two habitats, the coastal mountains, where they occur in lower elevations as well, and the Cascade Range, mostly in mountainous areas with pine forests, separated by more unsuitable habitat in the lowlands and valleys. [13]
Males and females in northeastern California appeared to have approximately equal home range size. [14] In northeastern California, movements and home range boundaries were influenced by cover, topography (forest-meadow edges, open ridgetop, lakeshores), and other Pacific marten. [14] In northwestern Montana, home range boundaries appeared to coincide with the edge of large open meadows and burned areas; the authors suggested that open areas represent "psychological rather than physical barriers". [15]
In northeastern California, more time was spent traveling and hunting in summer than in winter, suggesting that reduced winter activity may be related to thermal and food stress or may be the result of larger prey consumption and consequent decrease in time spent foraging. [16] Also in northeastern California, activity in the snow-free season (May–December) was diurnal, while winter activity was largely nocturnal. [16] Year-round daily movements in Grand Teton National Park ranged from 0 to 2.83 miles (0.00 to 4.55 km), averaging 0.6 mi (0.97 km), observations of 88 individuals). [17]
In southeastern Wyoming, temperature influenced resting site location. Above-snow sites were used during the warmest weather, while subnivean sites were used during the coldest weather, particularly when temperatures were low and winds were high following storms. High mortality may occur if Pacific marten become wet in cold weather, as when unusual winter rains occur during live trapping. [18] In Yosemite National Park, drought conditions increased the diversity of prey items; Pacific marten consumed fish and small mammal species made more accessible by low snow conditions in a drought year. [19] Pacific marten may travel extensively under the snowpack. Subnivean travel routes of >98 feet (30 m) were documented in northeastern Oregon [20] and up to 66 feet (20 m) in Wyoming. [17]
Adaptations to deep snow are particularly important in areas where the Pacific marten is sympatric with the fisher, which may compete with and/or prey on Pacific marten. In California, Pacific marten were closely associated with areas of deep snow (>9 inches (23 cm)/winter month), while fishers were more associated with shallow snow (<5 inches (13 cm)/winter month). Overlap zones were areas with intermediate snow levels. Age and recruitment ratios suggested that there were few reproductive Pacific marten where snow was shallow and few reproductive fishers where snow was deep. [21]
In north-central Idaho, Pacific marten activity was highest in areas where snow depths were <12 inches (30 cm). This was attributed to easier burrowing for food and more shrub and log cover. [22]
Observations from Oregon [23] suggest that juveniles may disperse in early spring. Of 9 juvenile Pacific marten that dispersed in spring in northeastern Oregon, 3 dispersed a mean of 20.7 miles (33.3 km) (range: 17.4–26.8 miles (28.0–43.1 km)) and established home ranges outside of the study area. Three were killed after dispersing distances ranging from 5.3 to 14.6 miles (8.5 to 23.5 km), and 3 dispersed a mean of 5.0 miles (8.0 km) (range: 3.7–6.0 miles (6.0–9.7 km)) but returned and established home ranges in the area of their original capture. Spring dispersal ended between June and early August, after which individuals remained in the same area and established a home range. [23]
Marten are omnivorous, with rodents and rabbits being common prey. Birds were the most important prey item in terms of frequency and volume on Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. Fish may be important in coastal areas. [24] Diet is less diverse within the Pacific marten's range than with the American marten, although there is diversity in Pacific states. [25]
Pacific marten are vulnerable to predation from many other species. In deciduous forests in northeastern British Columbia, most predation was attributed to raptors. [26] Of 18 Pacific marten killed by predators in northeastern Oregon, 8 were killed by bobcats (Lynx rufus), 4 by raptors, 4 by other marten, and 2 by coyotes. Throughout the distribution of Pacific marten, other predators include the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), mountain lion (Puma concolor), [27] [28] fisher (Pekania pennanti), wolverine (Gulo gulo), grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), American black bear (Ursus americanus), and grey wolf (Canis lupus). [29] In northeastern Oregon, most predation (67%) occurred between May and August, and no predation occurred between December and February. [30] Bobcats were also the main source of predation in northern California. [31]
Due to its more fragmented distribution than the American marten, the Pacific marten is more vulnerable to inbreeding and the island effect. Due to their status as commercially valuable fur bearers, American martens have frequently been translocated throughout North America, with no thought given to whether the martens were originally native to the area they were translocated to, and this can often lead to anthropogenic hybridization, genetic swamping, and/or outbreeding depression. On Dall Island, American martens have been introduced and are hybridizing with the native Pacific marten population, which may put it risk. On many islands throughout the Alexander Archipelago, American martens have been introduced and are present, with no sign of the Pacific martens; it is unknown whether the islands previously had no marten species until American martens were introduced, or whether the Pacific martens existed on those islands previously but were extirpated by the introduced American martens. In addition, genetic evidence of introgression with American martens is present in other parts of the Pacific marten's range, which is likely also a consequence of American marten introductions. [3] [4] [5]
The species is thought to have critically low populations on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state; surveys indicate that martens have been extirpated at the low-elevation areas they once occurred at, and now only persist at low densities in the higher-elevation areas of the peninsula. This is thought to be a consequence of habitat modifications from forest management, urbanization, and agricultural land uses. Demographic risks associated with small population sizes and climate change may pose further risks to the already-small marten population. [32]
The Pacific Northwest subspecies, the Humboldt marten, is highly threatened, with only a few hundred individuals remaining. [33]
The snowshoe hare, also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks. Its feet also have fur on the soles to protect it from freezing temperatures.
The Canada lynx, or Canadian lynx, is one of the four living species in the genus Lynx. It is a medium-sized wild cat characterized by long, dense fur, triangular ears with black tufts at the tips, and broad, snowshoe-like paws. Its hindlimbs are longer than the forelimbs, so its back slopes downward to the front. The Canada lynx stands 48–56 cm (19–22 in) tall at the shoulder and weighs between 5 and 17 kg. It is a good swimmer and an agile climber.
The barred owl, also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl or eight-hooter owl, is a North American large species of owl. A member of the true owl family, Strigidae, they belong to the genus Strix, which is also the origin of the family's name under Linnaean taxonomy. Barred owls are largely native to eastern North America, but have expanded their range to the west coast of North America where they are considered invasive. Mature forests are their preferred habitat, but they can also acclimatise to various gradients of open woodlands. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, but this species is an opportunistic predator and is known to prey upon other small vertebrates such as birds, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as a variety of invertebrates.
The Canada jay, also known as the gray jay, grey jay, camp robber, or whisky jack, is a passerine bird of the family Corvidae. It is found in boreal forests of North America north to the tree line, and in the Rocky Mountains subalpine zone south to New Mexico and Arizona. A fairly large songbird, the Canada jay has pale grey underparts, darker grey upperparts, and a grey-white head with a darker grey nape. It is one of three members of the genus Perisoreus, a genus more closely related to the magpie genus Cyanopica than to other birds known as jays. The Canada jay itself has nine recognized subspecies.
The spotted owl is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America, where it nests in tree hollows, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between 12 and 60 metres high and usually contain two eggs. It is a nocturnal owl which feeds on small mammals and birds. Three subspecies are recognized, ranging in distribution from British Columbia to Mexico. The spotted owl is under pressure from habitat destruction throughout its range, and is currently classified as a near-threatened species.
A marten is a weasel-like mammal in the genus Martes within the subfamily Guloninae, in the family Mustelidae. They have bushy tails and large paws with partially retractile claws. The fur varies from yellowish to dark brown, depending on the species; it is valued by animal trappers for the fur trade. Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in the taiga, which inhabit coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the Northern Hemisphere.
The fisher is a carnivorous mammal native to North America, a forest-dwelling creature whose range covers much of the boreal forest in Canada to the northern United States. It is a member of the mustelid family, and is in the monospecific genus Pekania. It is sometimes referred to as a fisher cat, although it is not a cat.
The American marten, also known as the American pine marten, is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. The species is sometimes referred to as simply the pine marten. The name "pine marten" is derived from the common name of the distinct Eurasian species, Martes martes. Martes americana is found throughout Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern United States. It is a long, slender-bodied weasel, with fur ranging from yellowish to brown to near black. It may be confused with the fisher, but the marten is lighter in color and smaller. Identification of the marten is further eased by a characteristic bib that is a distinctly different color than the body. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, with males being much larger.
The eastern meadow vole, sometimes called the field mouse or meadow mouse, is a North American vole found in eastern Canada and the United States. Its range extends farther south along the Atlantic coast.
The northern red-backed vole is a small slender vole found in Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia and northern Russia.
The American red squirrel is one of three species of tree squirrels currently classified in the genus Tamiasciurus, known as the pine squirrels. The American red squirrel is variously known as the pine squirrel or piney squirrel, North American red squirrel, chickaree, boomer, or simply red squirrel. The squirrel is a small, 200–250 g (7.1–8.8 oz), diurnal mammal that defends a year-round exclusive territory. It feeds primarily on the seeds of conifer cones, and is widely distributed across much of the United States and Canada wherever conifers are common, except in the southwestern United States, where it is replaced by the formerly conspecific southwestern red squirrel, and along the Pacific coast of the United States, where its cousin the Douglas squirrel is found instead.
The western toad is a large toad species, between 5.6 and 13 cm long, native to western North America. A. boreas is frequently encountered during the wet season on roads, or near water at other times. It can jump a considerable distance for a toad. Breeding occurs between March and July in mountainous areas, and as early as January in lower-elevation regions. The female lays up to 17,000 eggs stuck together in strings that adhere to vegetation and other objects along water edges.
The northern spotted owl is one of three spotted owl subspecies. A western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl native to the Pacific Northwest. An important indicator species, the northern spotted owl remains threatened due to continued population decline from human-caused habitat destruction and competition with invasive species, its main competitor being the barred owl.
The brush mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in mountainous areas of Mexico and the western United States at altitudes over 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
The Great Basin pocket mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in British Columbia in Canada and the western United States.
The Columbian ground squirrel is a species of rodent common in certain regions of Canada and the northwestern United States. It is the second largest member of the genus Urocitellus, which is part of the tribe Marmotini, along with marmots, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and other holarctic ground squirrels. They are stout, with short dense fur, which is characteristically tawny across the bridge of the nose. Social encounters sometimes are initiated with kissing behavior and the most common activity above ground is standing at attention. Residing in mountainous terrain and high plains in northern latitudes, they hibernate for 8 to 9 months of the year in burrows, which may be used for many years. They are emaciated when emerging in the spring. The Columbian ground squirrel came to the attention of the scientific community through writings produced by Lewis and Clark, while 21st century molecular genetics has more finely illuminated its ties with other close relatives.
The Newfoundland pine marten is a genetically distinct subspecies of the American marten found only on the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; it is one of only 14 species of land mammals native to the island. The marten was listed as endangered by the COSEWIC in 2001 and has been protected since 1934, however the population still declines. The Newfoundland marten has been geographically and reproductively isolated from the mainland marten population for 7000 years. The Newfoundland pine marten is similar in appearance to its continental cousin, but is slightly larger, with dark brown fur with an orange/yellow patch on the throat. Females are an average weight of 772 grams and males have an average weight of 1275 grams. The Newfoundland subspecies is also observed to inhabit a wider range of forest types than its mainland counterparts. The population characteristics suggest that the Newfoundland marten is a product of unique ecological setting and evolutionary selective factors acting on the isolated island population. The Newfoundland pine marten is omnivorous, feeding on mainly small mammals, along with birds, old carcasses, insects and fruits; it is currently found in suitable pockets of mature forest habitat, on the west coast of Newfoundland and in and around Terra Nova National Park. The Pine Marten Study Area (PMSA) is located in southwestern Newfoundland and is a 2078 km2 wildlife reserve that was created in 1973 to protect the Newfoundland Marten.
The black-tailed jackrabbit, also known as the American desert hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to 10,000 ft (3,000 m). Reaching a length around 2 ft (61 cm), and a weight from 3 to 6 lb, the black-tailed jackrabbit is one of the largest North American hares. Black-tailed jackrabbits occupy mixed shrub-grassland terrains. Their breeding depends on the location; it typically peaks in spring, but may continue all year round in warm climates. Young are born fully furred with eyes open; they are well camouflaged and are mobile within minutes of birth, thus females do not protect or even stay with the young except during nursing. The average litter size is around four, but may be as low as two and as high as seven in warm regions.
The Humboldt marten is an endangered, genetically distinct subspecies of the Pacific marten known from the old-growth coastal redwood forests, forests with dense shrub cover, areas with serpentine soils, and forested areas with dense understory cover of the U.S. states in coastal California and Oregon.
The western deermouse or western deer mouse is a rodent native to North America. It is widespread throughout the western half of the continent, mainly in areas west of the Mississippi River.
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