Martes martes
The european pine marten is a medium-sized mustelid with brown fur (light or dark depending on the location) with a very distinctive yellowish color in the ventral side of the neck. It measures about 53 cm in body length, 25 cm in tail length and 1.5 kg in body weight. For more precise characteristics look at “diagnositc description”.
Mating happens in September-Octomber. The juveniles are born in March-April and reach sexual maturity in 2-3 years. Its lifespan is about 8-10 years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.
Its diet includes squirrels, other small mammals, carrion, birds, insects and fruits.
According to the IUCN the species is considered as Least Concern (2015).
The european pine marten can be mistaken with the beech marten (Martes foina). The european pine marten has a shorter tail, a broader and rounder head, more pointed ears, a black nose (not grey as in Martes foina), broader feet, softer and darker coat, greyish undercoat and the throat patch is yellow.
Distribution (worldwide)
The european pine martern occurs in the whole Europe (excluding southern Greece, the biggest part of Iberian peninsula, one half of England and the islands of the Baltic sea), in Caucasus, Asia Minor and across the two big rivers of Middle East.
Distribution (Greece)
In Greece we can find the european pine marten only in the north part of the mainland. This includes Macedonia, Ipiros, Thraki and Thessaly.