Meet the marten: An updated look at a rare, adorable carnivore

Adorable ferret-sized martens are rebounding in California

It’s understandable if you’ve never heard of the coastal marten. These secretive—but adorable—woodland carnivores nearly went extinct. Fortunately, these ferret-sized mammals are making a slow recovery in the forests of the Pacific Northwest.  Coastal martens (Martes caurina humboldtensis or the Humboldt marten) are related to weasels, otters, mink, wolverines, and fetters. These rare mammals are smaller than the average house cat with adult mal…

Meet the marten: An updated look at a rare, adorable carnivore

Oregon State University researchers have painted a clearer picture of the coastal marten, a secretive, ferret-sized forest carnivore renowned for its cuteness but nearly driven to extinction by human activity in the 20th century.