# Pine Marten (*Martes martes*) The Pine Marten is a playful little animal with a bushy tail. They love to climb trees and are great at hiding in the forest. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests and woodlands - **Also known as:** Martes martes ![Pine Marten](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426165/objects/4480.jpg) ## Appearance The Pine Marten has a slender body, a long bushy tail, and a rich golden-brown fur coat. A distinctive creamy-yellow patch on its throat and chest sets it apart from other mustelids. It has prominent rounded ears and a pointed snout. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Carnivora - **Family:** Mustelidae - **Genus:** Martes ## Interesting facts - Each Pine Marten has a unique creamy-yellow patch on its chest, like a fingerprint! - Pine Martens often use old birds' nests or tree hollows as cozy dens for their young! - Their thick fur coat helps them stay warm even in chilly, snowy forests! - They can turn their ankles almost 180 degrees to climb down trees headfirst! ## Special abilities - **Arboreal Acrobat:** Pine Marten can climb trees with amazing agility because of their sharp claws and flexible joints that help them hunt high up. - **Balancing Bushy Tail:** Pine Marten has a long, bushy tail that helps them balance like a tightrope walker when leaping between branches and navigating trees. - **Night Hunter Senses:** Pine Marten can hunt efficiently in low light because of their excellent hearing and eyesight that help them find hidden prey. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 38-58 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-2.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-10 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-5 - **Gestation:** 230-275 days ## Diet & Feeding A nimble hunter that eats small animals, birds, insects, and sweet fruits and berries. - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Mice, Squirrels, Birds, Berries, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Bank Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bank-vole) (*Myodes glareolus*) — eats small rodents on the forest floor. - **Hunts:** Eurasian Red Squirrel (*Sciurus vulgaris*) — preys on agile squirrels in the treetops. - **Eaten by:** [Golden Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-eagle) (*Aquila chrysaetos*) — a powerful aerial predator that hunts pine martens. - **Shelter:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — uses tree hollows for resting and raising young. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Pine Martens are wild animals. It's best to admire them from a distance and not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pine Marten? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pine Marten? 38-58 cm ### How much does Pine Marten weigh? 0.9-2.2 kg ### How long does Pine Marten live? 8-10 years ### How fast can Pine Marten move? 40 km/h ### What does Pine Marten eat? A nimble hunter that eats small animals, birds, insects, and sweet fruits and berries. ### Where is Pine Marten usually found? Forests and woodlands ### How does Pine Marten hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Wildpark Eekholt](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildpark-eekholt) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Zoo ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Pine Marten: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pine-marten)