The American Marten May Make a Comeback in PA

You might be able to see this cute little creature in Pennsylvania’s forests in the near future. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is considering bringing back the American marten to increase biodiversity in our forests. The brownish-black member of the weasel family, weighing between one and three pounds, disappeared from Pennsylvania more than a century ago because of overhunting and deforestation.

If you remember last week’s segment on elk, you know that Pennsylvania has a history of reintroducing native species. Martens could be a great resource for rodent control, and they are good at spreading seeds around the forest. The Game Commission will present their plan to the board this July, followed by a public comment period.