The European pine marten (Martes martes), also known simply as the pine marten, is a mustelid found across most of Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and parts of Iran, Iraq, and Syria. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
This animal’s fur ranges from light to dark brown, short and coarse in summer, and longer and silkier in winter, with a distinctive cream to yellow “bib” marking on its throat. Adult martens can reach up to 53 cm (21 in) in body length and about 25 cm (9.8 in) in tail length, weighing around 1.5 to 1.7 kg (3.3 to 3.7 lb). Males are slightly larger than females.
European pine martens have semi-retractable claws that enable them to climb trees easily, although they are also quick runners on the ground. These nocturnal animals primarily eat small mammals, birds, insects, and fruits. They are territorial and mark their range with black, twisted scat.
The primary threats to European pine martens come from human activities, including habitat loss, illegal hunting, and conflicts arising from predator control. In the UK, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
