Stone Marten or Pine Marten?
We were discussing stone (or beech) martens with friends recently. One of their cats has feline aids, and they think he was infected during a fight with a stone marten. Apparently they are ferocious fighters and afraid of nothing, as well as being renowned carriers of the disease.
By one of those strange coincidences which life throws my way all the time, the very next day, while walking the dogs, I spotted this little beauty lying dead beside the road.
A stone marten? I’m not certain, but I think it’s more likely to be a pine marten. The white blob on the chest of stone martens splits and runs down their front legs, whereas this guy just had a single, unbroken blob.
He looks so peaceful. I wonder how he died. Poor little guy. He doesn’t look at all ferocious to me.
If you’re interested in our local wildlife, you might also like these posts :
and for sound effects, Provençal Nightlife
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