# Stone Marten (*Martes foina*) The Stone Marten is a small, furry animal that loves to climb trees and explore. With its sleek body and bushy tail, it is very agile and can often be found in forests and urban areas. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests and Urban areas ![Stone Marten](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Beech_Marten.jpg&width=800) Photo: Franco Atirador, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beech_Marten.jpg) ## Appearance The Stone Marten has a slender body with brownish-grey fur and a distinctive white or creamy-white 'bib' that often extends to its front legs. Unlike the Pine Marten, this bib is typically solid and not yellowish, contrasting with its pinkish nose and small, rounded ears. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Carnivora - **Family:** Mustelidae - **Genus:** Martes ## Interesting facts - Stone Martens can leave behind footprints that look like tiny human hands! - Their unique white chest patch is like a special fingerprint for each marten! - These clever animals can hide food for later by burying it like a treasure! - They sometimes chew on car engine cables, causing mysterious breakdowns! ## Special abilities - **Power Chewer:** Stone Marten has very strong jaws and teeth that help them break hard shells or even car cables. - **Stealthy Hunter:** Stone Marten moves silently through the night, allowing them to sneak up on small prey and catch them by surprise. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 60-80 cm - **Weight:** 1.1-2.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-10 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-7 - **Gestation:** 230-275 days ## Diet & Feeding These clever hunters eat almost anything, from juicy fruits to tasty rodents and eggs! - **Primary Foods:** Berries, Fruits, Small rodents, Birds, Eggs, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Common Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — A common prey item in fields and meadows. - **Hunts:** Wood Mouse (*Apodemus sylvaticus*) — Frequently caught in woodland and urban fringe habitats. - **Eats:** Eurasian Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Preys on eggs and young from nests in gardens. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Eagle-Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-eagle-owl) (*Bubo bubo*) — A top nocturnal predator that can hunt martens. - **Eats:** Wild Cherry (*Prunus avium*) — Enjoys the ripe fruits of this tree in summer. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see a Stone Marten, watch quietly from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Stone 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 Stone Marten? 60-80 cm ### How much does Stone Marten weigh? 1.1-2.3 kg ### How long does Stone Marten live? 3-10 years ### How fast can Stone Marten move? 30 km/h ### What does Stone Marten eat? These clever hunters eat almost anything, from juicy fruits to tasty rodents and eggs! ### Where is Stone Marten usually found? Forests and Urban areas ### How does Stone Marten hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Tierpark Kunsterspring](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-kunsterspring) — Brandenburg, DE · Zoo - [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: [Stone Marten: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stone-marten)