Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan
The American marten (Martes americana) is a small, slender-bodied, carnivorous mammal found throughout the northern portion of North America. Our study focused on the populations in the Manistee National Forest in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Penins...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Text |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
ScholarWorks@GVSU
2014
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/sss/163 https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=sss |
id |
ftgvstateuniv:oai:scholarworks.gvsu.edu:sss-1138 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftgvstateuniv:oai:scholarworks.gvsu.edu:sss-1138 2023-05-15T13:21:50+02:00 Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan Kujawa, Angela Keenlance, Paul Jacquot, Joseph 2014-07-01T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/sss/163 https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=sss unknown ScholarWorks@GVSU https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/sss/163 https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=sss Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts text 2014 ftgvstateuniv 2022-12-09T08:12:14Z The American marten (Martes americana) is a small, slender-bodied, carnivorous mammal found throughout the northern portion of North America. Our study focused on the populations in the Manistee National Forest in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Food availability is a large limiting factor to American marten populations due to their high metabolism and low fat storage. This can be especially important for lactating females that may have up to five kits to sustain. Kit-rearing female martens were fitted with radio collars and radio telemetry was used to track them to den sites. Scat, prey remains and remotely-triggered cameras were used to identify diet components. We sought to obtain an understanding of reproducing female marten diets in order to maintain optimal marten habitat. We observed martens behaving as generalists, consuming many types of prey. Small prey were consumed more often, but large prey provided the majority of their caloric intake. Gray squirrels were especially important prey for lactating females. We documented consumption of eastern moles and the delivery of multiple prey to the den at the same time, both previously unreported for this species. This is novel research that can be used by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the United States Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to manage for marten habitat in Michigan. Text American marten Martes americana Grand Valley State University: Scholar Works @ GVSU Little River ENVELOPE(-135.687,-135.687,60.894,60.894) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Grand Valley State University: Scholar Works @ GVSU |
op_collection_id |
ftgvstateuniv |
language |
unknown |
description |
The American marten (Martes americana) is a small, slender-bodied, carnivorous mammal found throughout the northern portion of North America. Our study focused on the populations in the Manistee National Forest in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Food availability is a large limiting factor to American marten populations due to their high metabolism and low fat storage. This can be especially important for lactating females that may have up to five kits to sustain. Kit-rearing female martens were fitted with radio collars and radio telemetry was used to track them to den sites. Scat, prey remains and remotely-triggered cameras were used to identify diet components. We sought to obtain an understanding of reproducing female marten diets in order to maintain optimal marten habitat. We observed martens behaving as generalists, consuming many types of prey. Small prey were consumed more often, but large prey provided the majority of their caloric intake. Gray squirrels were especially important prey for lactating females. We documented consumption of eastern moles and the delivery of multiple prey to the den at the same time, both previously unreported for this species. This is novel research that can be used by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the United States Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to manage for marten habitat in Michigan. |
format |
Text |
author |
Kujawa, Angela Keenlance, Paul Jacquot, Joseph |
spellingShingle |
Kujawa, Angela Keenlance, Paul Jacquot, Joseph Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan |
author_facet |
Kujawa, Angela Keenlance, Paul Jacquot, Joseph |
author_sort |
Kujawa, Angela |
title |
Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan |
title_short |
Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan |
title_full |
Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan |
title_fullStr |
Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diet of Kit-Rearing Female Martens in Northern Michigan |
title_sort |
diet of kit-rearing female martens in northern michigan |
publisher |
ScholarWorks@GVSU |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/sss/163 https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=sss |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-135.687,-135.687,60.894,60.894) |
geographic |
Little River |
geographic_facet |
Little River |
genre |
American marten Martes americana |
genre_facet |
American marten Martes americana |
op_source |
Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts |
op_relation |
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/sss/163 https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=sss |
_version_ |
1766361700645208064 |