US Fish and Wildlife Service Data Reveals Elusive Coastal Marten Population in California
A groundbreaking study by researchers at Oregon State University has shed new light on the elusive coastal marten, a carnivore once thought to be extinct. The Humboldt marten, found primarily in northwestern California and western Oregon, was nearly wiped out in the 20th century due to mid-century trapping and logging practices.
Only four isolated populations of the species remain, with two colonies residing in Klamath County, California. Despite being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, conservation efforts have been hampered by threats such as rodenticides, vehicles, disease, and habitat loss.
In 2022, a team from Oregon State University conducted an extensive survey of the marten population near Klamath, using non-invasive tools like hair snares and remote cameras to collect data. The study area spanned over 150 square miles, covering forested ridgetops with consistent snowfall, ravines, and riverbanks.
The results showed that the coastal martens prefer habitats characterized by dense canopy cover, wide trees, and hollow logs, providing them with ideal locations for hunting and hiding from predators. According to Erika Anderson, lead researcher, these "coarse woody debris" features play a significant role in the marten's survival strategy.
Despite advances in data collection and analysis, experts still acknowledge that there is much to be learned about this enigmatic species. Sean Matthews, wildlife ecologist at Oregon State University, emphasized that coastal martens are among the most adorable creatures inhabiting Pacific Northwest forests yet remain poorly understood.
A groundbreaking study by researchers at Oregon State University has shed new light on the elusive coastal marten, a carnivore once thought to be extinct. The Humboldt marten, found primarily in northwestern California and western Oregon, was nearly wiped out in the 20th century due to mid-century trapping and logging practices.
Only four isolated populations of the species remain, with two colonies residing in Klamath County, California. Despite being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, conservation efforts have been hampered by threats such as rodenticides, vehicles, disease, and habitat loss.
In 2022, a team from Oregon State University conducted an extensive survey of the marten population near Klamath, using non-invasive tools like hair snares and remote cameras to collect data. The study area spanned over 150 square miles, covering forested ridgetops with consistent snowfall, ravines, and riverbanks.
The results showed that the coastal martens prefer habitats characterized by dense canopy cover, wide trees, and hollow logs, providing them with ideal locations for hunting and hiding from predators. According to Erika Anderson, lead researcher, these "coarse woody debris" features play a significant role in the marten's survival strategy.
Despite advances in data collection and analysis, experts still acknowledge that there is much to be learned about this enigmatic species. Sean Matthews, wildlife ecologist at Oregon State University, emphasized that coastal martens are among the most adorable creatures inhabiting Pacific Northwest forests yet remain poorly understood.
and it's awesome to see that they're not as extinct as we thought. The fact that researchers were able to use non-invasive tools to study them is a total win for conservation efforts. And can you believe how cute they are?! 
Sean Matthews is totally right, we need more research on these adorable creatures. It's wild that their survival strategy involves dense canopy cover and hollow logs – I mean, who knew? 
It's great to see scientists getting down to business and studying the little things that make a big difference in wildlife conservation. Let's keep learning about these amazing animals! 
but at least theres some cool conservation efforts going on now. those scientists from Oregon State University are like total heroes 
collecting data with non invasive tools and all that stuff. we need more people to care about wildlife like this, its a big part of our ecosystem 
i mean, they're like the ninjas of the forest or something! 
but at the same time, I'm all for conservation efforts and stuff... or am i just saying that 'cause I don't wanna be a total buzzkill? 
idk, maybe we should've stopped using rodenticides and logging practices in the first place? 
but then again, what if we didn't know about these martens before they were even endangered? wouldn't that just be, like, cruel or something? 
I'm so stoked to see some good news for a while 
! The fact that researchers were able to track down these elusive coastal marten populations in California is super exciting, you know? It's like they're saying "hey, we've been hiding here all along!" 
And the cool thing about this study is that it's giving us some actual data on what makes these little guys tick. Like, who knew they loved dense canopy cover and hollow logs so much? 
i remember reading about these guys being thought extinct like in 2010 lol. it's crazy to think they were almost wiped out due to trapping and logging practices back then. i wish we could've done more to help 'em out 
. can't wait to learn more about these little marten critters and their habitat needs 
. And what's up with disease? We need more research on that ASAP 
! Not bad considering they were thought to be extinct 
.
. sure, it's cool that conservation efforts are gettin' underway or whatever 
. and what's with all these threats they're facin'? rodenticides? vehicles? disease? it's like we're tryin' to wipe 'em out on purpose 
. and habitat loss? yeah, that's just a given at this point 
. The sciensters did a study and found out that martens like areas with lots of trees and logs 
. Like, who doesnt love a good log to snuggle up in? 
. Anywayz, its defo not fully understood how these marten thingys work yet, but that's what scienstific research is all about, rite? 
. Food for thought, you know?
I'm loving how scientists are using non-invasive tools to study them, too - it's like they're sneaking around and getting the inside scoop on these stealthy critters 
That's just messed up. I mean, we're still learnin' about 'em, but at least now we can start workin' towards gettin' 'em back from the brink. Those researchers did some pretty cool stuff with them hair snares and remote cameras - genius! 
It'd be so much easier and less invasive. Anyway, I guess it's all good that they found some info on their habitat preferences... coarse woody debris features, yeah, I can see how that'd be important for hunting and hiding...