Mustelidae Spotlight: Pine Marten

Martens are a type of musty that are not spoken of much. That is really too bad because I happen to really like them. Although there many breeds of this animal, it is the pine marten that is my absolute favorite. The name really speaks for itself. He lives mainly in pine forests.

The pine marten has got to be one of the cutest animals out there. They look a little like a tiny fox with brown and cream-colored fur. Despite being born in litters of up to five babies, these animals grow up to be quite solitary. I gain very much from such small amounts of information. Allow me to explain.

I have always envisioned the pine marten as something resembling a solitary outdoors man. Perhaps, a lumberjack or hunter. A fellow who lives by his own wits and rejects assistance from other people--even other martens.

Pine martens have no trouble at all getting food. They are about as vicious as stoats when it comes down to it. The only difference is that they manage the hunt on their own rather than having help. These guys are actually pretty dangerous to creatures like mice and rabbits.

There was one peculiarity that stuck out in my research, Apparently, pine martens love to chew on rubbery things like plastic. This can range from a ball to even the bumper of a car. They tend to destroy these things really quickly too which makes them a menace to some areas. Leave it to a musty to cause trouble!

Although martens were featured in Gary Kilworth's "The Welkin Weasels," it was not a very substantial appearance. I only mention this because I really can't think of any other piece of fiction where I have heard of them specifically. Personally, I think there is a lot of untapped potential! You have a mysterious woodsman who is as stoic as he is cruel to trespassers. And just before you thought it was creepy enough, he has a thing for rubber. All these things combined, I would think twice before going into the woods.

On the positive side, what a very good companion to have as an ally while making your way through that same forest. I imagine he knows where everything is, and every night, there would be excellent game to feast upon. The pine martens were made for the forests. They know it exceptionally well, but the real question is: Is he going to be your friend or foe? If it ends up being the latter, you better run for your life because he won't spare a moment in hunting you down.

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