Environment and Conservation
September 17, 2010
Recovery Plan Released for American Marten
An updated recovery plan which identifies habitat and actions that
are critical to the continued survival of the Newfoundland population of
American marten (Martes americana atrata)
has been released by the Provincial
Government. The American marten, a small carnivorous mammal in
the weasel family, is often referred to as Newfoundland marten because
of their unique genetic and physical characteristics.
"As a result of the ongoing recovery efforts of the Newfoundland
Marten Recovery Team, its partners and the public, marten in
Newfoundland appear to be recovering," said the Honourable Charlene
Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. "We began to protect
habitat critical to marten survival in the 1970s and continue to do so
today through mechanisms such as protected areas, closed snaring and
trapping zones, along with the resource planning process. It is our hope
that, with continued efforts, we will be able to eventually remove it
from our species at risk list."
Actions outlined in the updated recovery plan
include
monitoring population size and distribution using hair snagging,
studying the impact on marten habitat that is available for their
recovery, and updating habitat protection measures as required.
The Newfoundland population of the American marten was first assessed
by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
(COSEWIC) as at risk in 1986 and a national recovery plan was released
in 1995. The marten was listed under the province's
Endangered
Species Act
in 2002 as endangered, but its population distribution
and stability improved and, in 2008, its status was changed to
threatened.
Resident marten have been confirmed in Western Newfoundland, the Main
River Watershed on the Northern Peninsula, and in the Terra Nova
National Park and Bay du Nord wilderness areas. As marten in
Newfoundland are strongly associated with forested habitats, they are
often incidentally killed as a result of snaring and trapping.
Today, more than 75 per cent of marten habitat is closed to
commercial forest harvesting, snaring or trapping, or any combination of
these activities. Additionally, six-strand picture cord and 22-gauge
brass wires have replaced stainless steel wire for snaring across the
island of Newfoundland, encompassing all habitat critical to marten
recovery, in an effort to reduce the incidental mortality of marten and
other non-target species in snares. This habitat is also protected
through the environmental assessment process, which takes the potential
impact of activities within habitat critical to marten recovery into
account during the decision-making process.
For more information on endangered species, contact the Wildlife
Division at 709-637-2026.
The updated recovery plan for the American marten can be found at
www.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/endangeredspecies/mammals.html#p2
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Media contact:
Melony O'Neill
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca
2010 09 17 10:20 a.m.
