Pine Martens on Spruce Branch

Pine Martens are a member of the weasel family called mustelidae. All mustelids have five toes on each foot. Mustelids are generally long and slender with comparatively short limbs, and they all have anal glands from which they can exude or spray a nasty smelling musk, which is used for protection or attracting a mate. The pine marten is also known as the North American sable and has a soft dense under fur with glossy guard hairs which for hundreds of years has been highly prized for its beauty and durability. An efficient carnivore it feeds primarily on rodents, especially squirrels, but it is an opportunistic feeder of things like bird’s eggs, frogs and even berries.