Whiskers the American Marten

Whiskers the American Marten

American Marten

Acrylic and ink on canvas

Wendy was drawn to the cute face of this incredibly rare Nova Scotian mammal.

 The American Marten is also known as the Pine Marten and is a member of the weasel family.  Males are 80cm long; females slightly smaller.  Their bodies are slender with bushy tails, their heads small with rounded ears.  Martens are agile and fast and can move in trees for hundreds of meters without touching the ground.  They are fearless, curious and excellent swimmers.

Nova Scotia’s American Marten population initially declined due to unregulated over-trapping.  Today the population is threatened by loss of habitat (mature forests), incidental trapping and very few breeding opportunities since the existing population is already so small.

Size 12 X 12 inches