American Marten
Part of Hall of North American Mammals.
July Morning, Crater Lake, Oregon
A marten emerges tentatively at the bare rim of Crater Lake in search of ground squirrels. Martens don’t like being exposed in the open. They’d rather stay concealed in big evergreen trees or underbrush so carnivorous birds or wild cats can’t spot them. Clear-cutting and fur trapping have taken a toll on marten populations, but with forest regrowth and trapping laws, these shy, solitary hunters are rebounding.
