Stone marten, House marten, White breasted marten
The Beech marten (Martes foina) is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is superficially similar to the European pine marten but differs from it by its smaller size and habitat preferences.
The Beech marten is superficially similar to the Pine marten, but has a somewhat longer tail, a more elongated and angular head, and has shorter, more rounded, and widely spaced ears. Its nose is also of a light peach or grey color, whereas that of the Pine marten is dark black or greyish-black. Its feet are not as densely furred as those of the Pine marten, thus making them look less broad, with the paw pads remaining visible even in winter. Because of its shorter limbs, the Beech marten's manner of locomotion differs from that of the Pine marten; the Beech marten moves by creeping in a polecat-like manner, whereas the Pine marten and sable move by bounds. The Beech marten's fur is coarser than the Pine marten's, with elastic guard hairs and less dense underfur. Its summer coat is short, sparse and coarse, and the tail is sparsely furred. The colour tone is lighter than the Pine marten's. Unlike the Pine marten, its underfur is whitish, rather than greyish. The tail is dark brown, while the back is darker than that of the pine marten. The throat patch of the Beech marten is always white. The patch is large and generally has two projections extending backward to the base of the forelegs and upward on the legs. The dark color of the belly juts out between the forelegs as a line into the white color of the chest and sometimes into the neck. In the Pine marten, by contrast, the white color between the forelegs juts backward as a protrusion into the belly color.
Beech martens are found in much of central Asia and Europe, as far to the north as Denmark, in the west to Spain, southwards into Italy, and the islands of Corfu, Crete, and Rhodes, and east to the Himalayas and Mongolia. These animals prefer rock croppings and open deciduous forests in mountainous habitats, preferring open landscapes, as they are less dependent on forested areas than other martens. They are often found living close by human habitation and may den in buildings.
Beech martens mostly live a solitary life, except for family groups (mothers and their young) and mating pairs. They are nocturnal, but during the mating season can often be seen in the daytime. They are territorial and keep away from others of their species. An average home range measures 12 to 211 ha, the size varying with the season, with larger ranges during summer compared to in the winter. Males have much larger ranges than females. This species communicates primarily through olfactory cues. Reproductive readiness and territorial boundaries are communicated through scent marking, and during the breeding season, their cries can be heard. Their gait varies with the speed they are traveling: if strolling, it is a meandering gait with parallel front feet while the hind feet are on a slight angle in relation to the front. When it runs, its hind feet land on the same spot as its front feet. When prowling, Beech martens will surprise prey animals by pouncing on them. Being excellent climbers, they can access birds’ nests.
Beech martens are omnivorous and eat smaller mammals, fruit, and eggs.
Beech martens are polygynandrous (promiscuous), with both males and females mating with multiple partners. Mating occurs from June to August (during midsummer) and gestation period lasts 7.5-9 months, including delayed implantation of 6.5-8 months. A litter numbers 2-4 kits, which are cared for exclusively by their mother, being nursed and looked after in the den. They are born naked, with their eyes and ears closed. Young are weaned when they are 2 months old and become independent at one year old. At 15-27 months of age they become reproductive mature.
Beech martens are sometimes persecuted for being a pest. They are also hunted for their fur in India, Russia, and other countries. There is, however, no evidence of these threats being intensive enough to cause significant declines across the species' range.
According to IUCN, the Beech marten is common and widely distributed across its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently this species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today remain stable.
Beech martens help control the pest populations of mice and rats in central Europe and are prey for foxes, wildcats and owls. In forested regions they may contribute to the dispersal of seeds, and are regarded as important for the dispersal of fleshy-fruited plants in Central Europe’s forests.
