Martes pennanti

Nutrition 

Photo from Wikipedia Commons

How does it get its food?

     Martens are very effective hunters. They are one of the few animals that have developed specialized hunting habits. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, North American Mammals.

    

"Fishers are among the few          predators able to kill Porcupines. They do it by biting the face, where there are no quills, until the animal is too weak to prevent being rolled over and attacked in the soft underbelly."            

           

     Martens are very effective hunters that eat rodents ranging is size from small to medium including but not limited to rabbits, hares, birds and porcupines. When the habitat of a marten has been disrupted by the settling of humans, the Fisher has been known to eat chickens from chicken coops as well as pet cats and small dogs.

 

Does it serve as a host for another organism?

     It has been researched that the Martes pennanti acts as a host to many different parasites, including seven different species of helminthes. These parasitic worms include Baylisacaris dovosi, Taenia sibirica and Physaloptera sp. These parasitic worms attach to the intestine of the Marten and disrupt the nutrient absorption its digestive system. Studies have also shown that the presence of these parasitic worms is in direct correlation with the density of the Martens. Martens also play host to many other parasites like ticks.

   

Does it have a circulatory system? 

     Just like most of the mammals today the marten do have a circulatory system. The closed circulatory of mammals consists of a four chambered heart, arteries veins and capillaries. These structures work together to move nutrients, gases, and waste to and from all of the cells in the body.

 

 

Interesting Quotes About Martens:

 

“It’s a Marten Of A Different Color”

“You Can’t Teach An Old Marten New Tricks”