Martens. Stone marten Marten swims

Many types of martens

Martens (from Latin Martes) - genus carnivorous mammals from the weasel family (Mustelidae). Depending on the area, many species and subspecies are distinguished, including families marsupial martens. In Russia there are harza, stone and pine martens, and sable. For fur, two main varieties of this animal are used - pine and stone marten. Martens live in Europe, the European part of Russia, Western Siberia, China, Mongolia, Western Asia.

Types of martens:

American marten (Martes americana)

Ilka (Martes pennanti), or pecan

Stone marten(Martes foina)

Pine marten (Martes martes)

Nilgiri harza (Martes gwatkinsii)

Sable (Martes zibellina)

Harza (Martes flavigula)

Japanese marten (Martes melampus)

American marten - rare

American marten(lat. Martes americana) - rare species family of mustelids. Externally similar to pine marten, differs only in large feet and a light face. The habitat of the American marten is Alaska, Canada, North America. The habitat of the American marten is old coniferous and mixed forests.

The American marten has a long, slender body, with soft, dense and shiny fur, ranging in color from pale yellow to reddish-dark brown. The animal's neck is pale yellow, and its tail and legs are dark brown. On the muzzle there are two black lines running vertically from the eyes. The fluffy long tail makes up one third of the animal’s total length. The marten has semi-extended claws that make climbing trees easier, as well as relatively large feet suitable for snowier areas.

Hunting and deforestation have led to habitat loss and, consequently, a decline in population numbers. Currently, the American marten has begun to self-restore the number of individuals and there is no threat of extinction of the species. Many American martens are killed in rabbit traps. The American marten is an enemy of game animals - squirrels and rabbits. They hunt martens because of her valuable fur. Previously, they paid $100 for one skin, but now the price is $12-$20 per skin.

Ilka is the largest species of mustelids

North American pine marten fisher(Martes pennanti) is also known as fisher (English), pecan (French), ilka (Russian), American and Virginia ferret. The marten got its name “fisher” from English language- “fisher”, consonant with the French “fichet” - ferret.

Ilka lives in coniferous forests North America, from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. Prefers taiga forests with an abundance of hollow trees. In winter, it often settles in burrows, sometimes digging them in the snow. Ilkas are flexible and fast, nimbly climb trees, and are excellent climbers, but usually move on the ground.

A graceful carnivorous predator from the large mustelidae family. Despite the fact that it is called a fishing marten, it eats fish reluctantly and very rarely. Ilka is the largest representative of the mustelidae family, body length with tail is 75-120 cm. In appearance, Ilka resembles a weasel - long body with short legs with five fingers, retractable claws, a flat and triangular head, small round ears on the top of the head, a long, thick and fluffy tail.

The animal has a dark brown color, the fur on the head, neck and shoulders has a silvery tint, the paws and tail are darker or black. Distinctive feature ilki - a white or creamy white patch of fur in the genital area. The coat is long, thick and coarse. The fur on the back is up to 3 cm, on the chest up to 7 cm long.

Ilka is an exceptional carnivore, one of the few animals that preys on porcupines. It also feeds on other prey - mice, chipmunks, squirrels, hares. Ilka has few enemies, mostly people. Ilka is the subject of hunting because of its beautiful dark brown “fur coat” with a silvery tint.

Furriers value the unique Ilka fur: hard, motley, low pile on the neck from the cross to the rump becomes dark, high with the texture of a marten. No other fur has such an effect. In large skins the pile is quite coarse. A variety of products are sewn from Ilka fur - fur coats, short fur coats, vests, and collars are trimmed. Due to the high cost of fur, it is very rare to find a product made from ilka, mainly only on catwalks and in the collections of famous designers. This is due to the extraction of ilka fur, which lives only in North America.

Stone mountain marten

Stone marten, or white marten or mountain marten (from the Latin Martes foina) is a predatory mammal from the mustelid family (Mustelidae). The stone marten inhabits most of Eurasia. Its distribution area stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to Mongolia and the Himalayas. It is the most common marten in Europe and the only species of marten that is not afraid to live near human settlements. Stone marten, prefers the ruins of old dwellings and rocky foundations of farm buildings, can settle on open spaces, in steppes, forest-steppes and semi-deserts, in mountainous areas.

The stone marten has a large head and a slightly pointed muzzle. The body is flexible, long and slender. The paws are short with five toes on each paw and the claws are retractable. The feet on the paws are bare. The tail is long, covered with coarse hair, the ears are large, triangular in shape. The stone marten has coarse fur. The main color of the stone marten is gray-brown. On the throat there is a white forked throat patch, shaped like a horseshoe, which can reach the front legs. The winter color, brownish-smoky with a slight fawn tint, gives the marten fur its unique personality. In summer and autumn, marten fur is much darker, shorter and less fluffy.

Winter and spring stone marten skins are used, when the fur has brighter, clearer outlines, and longer wool, compared to summer and autumn time. Stone marten fur is used in its natural form and is very rarely dyed. Fur coats and sheepskin coats were made from stone marten fur, and collars, cuffs and hats were trimmed.

Forest noble marten

Pine marten, or yellowfish, or soft (from the Latin Martes martes) is a species of mammals from the mustelid family (Mustelidae). Sometimes called the “noble marten” because of the quality and properties of the fur. Lives in Europe and western parts Asia. The range extends from the British Isles to Western Siberia and in the south from the Mediterranean to the Caucasus and Alborz. The pine marten (baum marten) lives in trees, conifers and mixed forests. Hunts birds, rodents (squirrels), feeds on bird eggs.

The head of the pine marten is small, with a pointed muzzle, ears with rounded tops. The claws are very sharp, curved, which is associated primarily with woody way life. The body of the pine marten is oblong with relatively short legs and hair on the feet. The tail is relatively long and bushy, its function is to maintain balance when climbing and jumping. On the head there are triangular, bordered yellow stripe ears, nose dark. Body length ranges from 45 to 58 cm, tail length from 16 to 28 cm, and weight from 0.8 to 1.8 kg. Males are on average 30% heavier than females.

The pine marten has lush, thick, soft and slightly coarse hair, a pronounced spot on the neck and a long tail. In relation to the sparse awn, the thick underfur gives the skin a somewhat felt-like appearance. Winter fur is long, soft and silky. In summer, the pine marten's fur becomes shorter and stiffer. The fur of the pine marten is colored chestnut or dark brown, reddish-chestnut with a grayish-fawn admixture. The back, head and abdomen are colored the same. The paws and the end of the tail are darker, the ears have a light outline along the edge, and on the throat and lower surface of the neck there is a large yellowish-cream rounded throat spot.

Individuals of pine martens caught in different areas of the vast territory of Russia have a number of distinctive features. In this regard, all skins are divided into several varieties of martens: Kuban, central, western, northern, Murmansk, Ural.

In addition to varieties, pine marten skins are divided into four color categories:

Dark blue. The fur is dark chestnut in color without red tints. The down is blue-gray at the base and light gray at the top.

Blue. The fur is chestnut color. The fluff is gray.

Dark sand. The fur is brown or dark sand, there is a reddish tint, especially on the sides of the skin. The down is gray at the base and light sandy at the ends.

Sand. The fur is light brown with a light yellow tint. The down is gray at the base, yellowish at the tops.

Skins with dark blue fur are considered the most valuable. Pine marten skins are usually specially dyed. At the same time color scheme use similar to sable products. Used to make clothing and hats. Products made from this material are very pleasant to the touch; the fibers literally flow under your fingertips.

Nilgiri harza - a rare predator

Nilgiri Kharza(lat. Martes gwatkinsii) is a predatory mammal of the mustelidae family (Mustelidae). One of the largest and brightly colored representatives of the genus of martens, together with the marten (Martes flavigula). The only species of marten found in South India. Lives in the Nilgiri hills and Western Ghats.

The habitat of the Nilgiri marten is deciduous, mountainous evergreen (coffee, cardamom, acacia plantations) and wet tropical forests. It lives at elevations from 600 to 1400 m above sea level. Avoids open places.

It is almost impossible to confuse the Nilgiri Kharza with other representatives of the genus. Being dark brown on top and with yellow-orange coloring on the chest and neck, it is one of the most colorful members of the marten family.

The Nilgiri marten is a carnivorous predator that preys on small birds, rodents (Indian squirrels, white-footed mice), insects (cycads), reptiles (lizards, Bengal monitor lizards) and small mammals(Asian deer).

Nilgiri marten - very rare beast. The species is listed in the International Red Book and the CITES Convention (Appendix III). Population numbers continue to decline due to habitat loss. Avoids human presence.

Kharza - exotic motley marten

Kharza, or yellow-breasted marten, or Ussuri marten(Martes flavigula) is a predatory mammal of the mustelid family. The largest, very unique in body structure and brightly colored representative of the marten genus, sometimes classified as a separate genus.

In the fauna of the Amur-Ussuri region of Russia, the kharza comes from the countries Southeast Asia, since the main part of its range covers the Greater Sunda Islands, the Malay Peninsula, Indochina, the foothills of the Himalayas, China, and the Korean Peninsula. A separate isolated habitat area is known in the south of the Hindustan Peninsula.

Kharza is a typical animal of conifers and mixed forests. Prefers to settle on mountain slopes and river banks. In Myanmar, it lives in swamps, and in Pakistan - in desert, treeless mountains. It stays mainly on the ground, although it climbs trees very well. It runs very fast, and when jumping from tree to tree, it makes leaps of up to 4 meters.

Body length 55-80 cm, tail 35-44 cm, weight up to 5.7 kg. On long neck sits a small head with a pointed muzzle and not very large ears. The body is elongated, muscular, very flexible, strong short legs with wide feet. The tail is slightly fluffy. The fur is quite coarse, short, shiny. Summer fur is shorter and coarser than winter fur, darker, especially on the back. Even in winter, the fur of the harza is relatively short, smooth, shiny, and coarse.

It is distinguished by its multi-colored, variegated color. The color of young harzas is whitish and lighter, especially on the back. The top of the head and muzzle of the harza are painted black, the lower jaw is white. The fur on the throat and chest is bright yellow, on the body it has a golden-brown tint, darkening towards the rump, and on the legs it is dark brown. The tail is dark brown.

Kharza is one of the most powerful tireless predators Ussuri taiga. It feeds on rodents, grasshoppers, mollusks, hares, and birds. Sometimes it attacks young ungulates - wild boar, wapiti, elk, roe deer, sika deer, goral. Often attacks raccoon dogs, kolinsky and sables. Uses berries and pine nuts in small quantity, feasts on honeycombs. But the most favorite prey of the harza is musk deer.

The commercial value of the harza is very small, since it is rare, and its rough skin is of little value. Harza is rare on the territory of Russia; at present it is almost not hunted. Deforestation and expansion of agricultural areas are increasingly reducing the area suitable for life of this exotic predator, it is becoming less and less. Included in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). Included in the “List of fauna objects in need of special attention to their state in the natural environment."

The Japanese marten is a poor relative

Japanese marten, or I, Japanese sable (lat. Martes melampus) is a species of predatory mammals from the mustelid family (Mustelidae). Japanese martens originally lived in Japan on three main southern islands Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushima, and also in Korea. To obtain fur, they were brought to the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Sado in 1949. Inhabits deciduous and coniferous forests and open fields. The Japanese marten rises up to 1800 m above sea level.

The fur color of the Japanese marten varies from yellow-brown to dark brown, with a white spot on the neck and back of the head. It has an elongated physique, short limbs, and a bushy tail, typical of many martens. Body length from 47 to 54 cm, tail from 17 to 23 cm.

The Japanese marten is the poor relative of the mustelidae family. The Japanese value this fur for its brightness. yellow, symbolizing light and sun for them. This fur doesn't dye well. After painting, the skin turns out to be inky-spotted and its yellow charm disappears completely. Fur is very cheap and is almost never used in industry.

Japanese martens are hunted for their fur, but some populations (in Hokkaido and Tsushima) are completely protected. The Japanese marten is hunted for its valuable fur from December 1 to January 31 everywhere within its range, except on the islands of Hokkaido and Tsushima, where it is protected and protected by law. The subspecies common in Tsushima is M. m. tsuensis is considered endangered according to the WSOP. Genetic studies indicate that M. melampus split from Martes zibellina as a separate species about 1.8 million years ago.

Commercial importance of martens

Providing valuable high-quality marten fur, martens are among the important commercial fur-bearing animals. In most of their habitat, martens are few in number, so hunting them is prohibited and their production is strictly limited. The volume of commercial harvesting of marten is very small. Lots held at auctions rarely exceed 500 skins; the bulk are sold privately through commercial hunters.

Fishermen have caught and still catch martens with traps and other self-catching traps, but game wardens have long established that the skins of animals caught in this way are almost 50% lower in quality than those caught with a dog. This is explained by the fact that the carcasses of martens that died in self-catches were damaged by mouse-like rodents and birds.

In the old days, there were hunters who knew how to chase a marten walking along the treetops for many kilometers, tracking it along the tracks of snow falling from the branches. Nowadays there are almost no such craftsmen left, and marten is hunted mainly by traps.

Interestingly, in the West, marten fur is valued much higher than in our country. This is due to the lower distribution of martens in other countries. The marten is a small fur-bearing animal that cannot be bred in captivity. All attempts to increase the number of these animals by creating special fur farms were unsuccessful. Thus, all marten fur products are made from “wild” raw materials. This distinguishes this fur from other types of fur. Keeping a pine marten in captivity is a rather difficult task and therefore this species is not often seen in zoos. The largest populations are in the zoos of Hankensbüttel and Innsbruck.

Marten fur is hypoallergenic

The main advantage of the marten is its practical and high-quality fur, the cost of which, compared to other furs, is quite low and affordable. This material is warm, quite wearable and looks great. Products made from marten fur are very durable, since marten fur has a hard undercoat. The service life of marten fur is at least 7 seasons. Since ancient times, marten fur has been widely used for sewing warm clothes.

It is perfect for both long fur coats and elegant sheepskin coats or sophisticated coats. You can sew hats, collars, cuffs from marten, trim outerwear; a marten collar goes well with astrakhan fur coats.

In general, for the modern fashionista, marten fur is one of the best options, both in terms of beauty and durability, and in terms of price-quality ratio. After all, products made from marten can not only perfectly emphasize individuality, but also replace much more expensive sable. Fur coats, scarves, stoles made of marten are of excellent quality, they are warm in any weather, they are the admiring glances of people passing by, they are your confidence in your own attractiveness and irresistibility.

A distinctive feature of marten fur is its hypoallergenicity. The pile has a well-ventilated structure, as a result of which dust particles that cause allergies are not retained in it. Thanks to this, even many people prone to allergies can please themselves fur product or trimmed with marten fur, without fear of an unwanted reaction.

Historical value of marten fur

In Rus', marten fur has long been valued by our ancestors. Marten skins were used for trade, paying tribute, exchanged for overseas goods and Arab silver, and served as an alternative to money and gold. Initially, kuns were called bundles of furs of a certain value, then a monetary unit, and then money in general. IN Ancient Rus' The marten skin served as a monetary unit - one kun.

Marten furs are mentioned in the famous ancient Russian poem “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” as “marten furs of the nobility.” Princes, boyars and other members of the nobility sported marten robes. A marten fur coat or the edge of a caftan was hardly available to a simple peasant or artisan, and not every merchant could afford it. Ancient Greek authors used a similar word of Slavic origin to name the fur clothing of the peoples living to the north of them.

Since ancient times, the marten has been followed by a whole train of signs and superstitions; it has long been considered a prescient animal. Like an ermine, it is a harbinger of joyful, bright events.

In my own way appearance The marten resembles a cat in many ways. She has beautiful, fluffy fur, a flexible and graceful body. Martens also have a fluffy tail, but their muzzles are short and quite wide. The animal is quite small. As a rule, its length is no more than 60 centimeters.

IN Russian forests There are two types of martens - pine and stone martens. Externally, both types are very similar to each other. The difference can only be seen in the undercoat of the stone marten. The fact is that on the back and sides the undercoat of such an animal is lighter. And stone martens live mainly in rocky areas.

Animals are quite unpretentious in nutrition. Their diet primarily depends on the time of year. They feed on rodents, frogs, insects, birds, lizards, rats and mice. Martens do not disdain poultry either. In summer and early autumn, the animal actively feeds on plant foods - various berries, nuts and trees.

Since the animal is very beautiful, its fur is considered very valuable in the fashion world. In addition, they often cause harm to households, destroying birds, rabbits, and agricultural crops. It is not surprising that the animals are actively hunted. Although unofficial hunting of martens is prohibited and strictly controlled. There is a fairly serious fine for illegal hunting. Most often, martens are hunted using traps, although there are many different ways. Often they take a dog with them on a hunt; it helps track the animal.

Photo gallery - a beautiful marten in the wild.

Video about martens. Watch the movie " Far Eastern marten Kharza" - two episodes. Minimum words. You will spend an amazing hour and a half alone with nature.

And now you can be transported to the shores of Foggy Albion and watch the video “ Pine marten. Spirit of the Forests.»

And one more video - “Hunting for marten”.

AND latest video- setting a trap for a marten

Pine marten

The pine marten belongs to the mustelidae family. This is a small fur-bearing animal with thick silky fur. brown. There is a yellowish spot on the throat of the pine marten. It is called the wallflower. The body of the animal is elongated with short legs, and there is hair on the feet. Its muzzle is elongated with strong jaws Very sharp teeth. The pine marten's ears are triangular with a yellow stripe along the edges, and the nose is dark. The body length of this animal reaches 60 cm. The tail length is from 15 to 30 cm. The animal weighs 0.8 - 2 kg.

The habitat of martens extends from Western Siberia to Europe (Scotland, Ireland). In the south, these animals are found in the Caucasus and the Mediterranean. Martens live in forests. They prefer oak, spruce and fir forests with tall, hollow trees. Areas littered with dead wood are favorite places for martens.

Forest martens are predators and hunt at night. Nests are made in hollows, squirrel nests or bird nests. Martens are excellent at climbing trees and jumping up to 4 meters in length. These animals are omnivores, but they prefer hunting small animals such as squirrels, voles and birds. They can eat frogs, reptiles, insects and even carrion. In the fall, martens add fruits, nuts and berries to their diet. Pine martens live from 5 to 10 years. Martens are useful by destroying rodents. They are also hunted for their valuable fur. Nowadays, these animals have become quite rare.

Stone marten or white marten.

Unlike the pine marten, the stone marten has a forked white patch on its throat. Her fur is gray-brown and quite hard. The body type is similar to a pine marten, but there is no hair on the soles of the paws. Such martens are smaller than forest martens, their length reaches 55 cm, but they are heavier, their average weight from 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms.

Whiteheads are not afraid to live close to people. They are common in Europe and Asia. These animals live from the Iberian Peninsula to Mongolia and the Himalayas. Stone martens were brought to the United States specifically for fur hunting. These animals love open spaces, with sparse trees, often with rocky terrain. They also live in the mountains, up to 4000 meters above sea level. This type of marten lives in villages and cities, in parks, barns or attics. Stone marten fur is valued less than forest marten fur, so people hunt them less often.

Stone martens are omnivores. But, first of all, they eat meat. They catch rabbits, rodents, frogs and insects. In summer, these animals also eat berries and fruits. Sometimes stone martens penetrate chicken coops and dovecotes. They are characterized by a predatory reflex that kills all animals, even if they do not eat them. Stone martens are very common animals, so hunting is allowed. Martens are hunted with dogs and traps are set for them.

Video: Martens of the Berezinsky Nature Reserve. Martens of Berezinski reserve.

The marten inhabits European forests. This large animal has very lush and soft fur. On the back it is gray-brown in color, on the sides it becomes lighter. In the area of ​​the animal’s larynx there is a spot of bright red color. In winter, the spot darkens.

Martens inhabit mixed and taiga landscapes, where there is a lot of dead wood. The marten builds its homes at a considerable height in hollows. She climbs trees well, jumps on them, from branch to branch. Her bushy ponytail acts as a parachute. Martens are good swimmers and runners. They can move with lightning speed on the ground and deep loose snow. She doesn't fall through the snow, because her paws are in winter time well furred.

This animal is very dexterous and strong. It hunts large birds (grouse, hare), and also feeds on rodents, birds, frogs and squirrels. And in the summer the animal feasts on berries and loves rowan. She devastates the nests of birds and animals.

In mid-summer, these animals begin their mating season. Then after this, the female gives birth to up to 8 children. Babies are born completely helpless and blind. By six months, the cubs become independent, reaching the size of adults. For martens, especially for inexperienced animals, foxes and wolves are especially dangerous. But these predators do not affect the number of martens.

Human hunting and excessive hunting of fur-bearing animals have led to the fact that this animal is on the verge of extinction. The number of martens is also affected by the fact that their habitats are being reduced due to the cutting down of old, overmature forest, convenient for nesting.

Photo gallery of martens

Many people can determine by appearance what kind of fur is used for a particular product, but not everyone knows what a marten or mink looks like. Meanwhile, martens are very beautiful small predators with very interesting habits.

Martens are very beautiful small predators with very interesting habits.

General information

In general terms, martens are predators of medium height. There are different types these animals, which differ not only in fur color, but also in height and size. They also have general characteristics, for example, short five-toed paws. The fingers are separated and free. And these fingers have sharp claws. One more common feature- a sharp muzzle with short ears divided into two parts. The body of martens is slender, rather long, the tail is shorter, but still impressive. It does not have such a beautiful fan as squirrel tails, but martens do not need this, the shape of the tail makes their body more streamlined and gives them additional speed.

Interestingly, martens have rather complex behavior. Many people imagine themselves climbing trees using their fingers and claws. But not everyone knows that these predators have developed motor skills at the level of a three-year-old child. These animals can also do gymnastics; they generally love outdoor games. Moreover, both adults and young animals spend a lot of time in such games. Little martens can generally spend the whole day playing. Interestingly, during games they make sounds similar to cooing.

The marten is a predator, feeds mainly on small rodents and birds, and can hunt rats, which even some cats are afraid of. In addition, she loves to feast on bird eggs. A bird is a special object for hunting. The marten is an animal that loves to play with its prey. If it gets into the chicken coop, it can strangle several birds and lay their carcasses in a row. For all its cuteness, such an animal is quite bloodthirsty and can drink the blood of birds.

Features of the marten (video)

American variety

There are different types of marten, and their appearance can differ markedly from each other. For example, there is American martens. As their name suggests, they live on the North American continent. They have a very wide habitat - almost from northern border forests in Alaska and up to New Mexico.

American martens climb trees no worse than all other species, and therefore they prefer to settle in forests, both coniferous and deciduous or mixed. Unfortunately, due to fishing and shrinking forest areas, the population of American animals is also decreasing.

Why is this predator so hunted? Because American martens have soft, thick and very beautiful fur. Its color can vary from pale yellow (it seems that the rays of the sun are climbing the trees) to reddish and brown shades with chocolate notes. The neck of such animals is lighter than the body, and the legs and tail are darker. Most often they have a dark brown tint. On the face, such animals have two black stripes that run vertically from the eyes.