Ecology of the marten in Glacier National Park.

141 Pages·2016·10.13 MB·English

by  Vernon Duane Hawley

UUnniivveerrssiittyy ooff MMoonnttaannaa
SScchhoollaarrWWoorrkkss aatt UUnniivveerrssiittyy ooff MMoonnttaannaa
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, &
Graduate School
Professional Papers
1955
EEccoollooggyy ooff tthhee mmaarrtteenn iinn GGllaacciieerr NNaattiioonnaall PPaarrkk
Vernon Duane Hawley
The University of Montana
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THE ECOLOGY OF THE MARTEN IN
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
by
VERNON D. HAWLEY
B# S# Montana State Iftiiversity, 1953
Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Wildlife Technology
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
1955
Approved by;
yOhainman. Board af E%ü&niners
y pean, Gradüate School
./ / f T j T
Date
UMI Number: EP37252
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U M T
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TABLE OF CONTmTS
Page
LIST OP TABLES......................................... T
LIST OF FIGURES...........................................vi
ACKN0WLEDGEî®îT3...........................................vil
INTRODUCTION............................................ 1
THE STUDY AREA.......................................... 3
Geographical Description # . # . . . . . * # 3
Topographical Description . .................. . . 3
Climatic Description . . . . . . 5
Vegetation Description.............................. 5
Birds and Mammals S
VEGETATION ANALYSIS....................... 12
Forest Types ......... 12
Methods 12
Results 16
BIRD AND MATiMAL CENSUS ......... 13
Bird Counts 13
Small Mammal Indices ......... 13
Squirrel and Chipmunk Counts . . . .. . . . . . . 23
LIVE-TEAFPINa METHODS..................................... 25
Trap Line and Trap Site Location . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Trap Setting Methods 26
Marking Trap Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Traps Used 23
B a i t ................................................ 29
• i ü —
Pago
Scent 29
Checking of Traps.............................. * 30
Handling Method • • • • • • • • • • • • • « « • • • • • 30
Marking Method 32
Data Recorded ........... 34
Sexing . # # .................. 36
Aging......... 36
TRAPPING SUCCESS........................... 42
General 42
Trap Distiirbance . 46
Trap Mortality 45
Discussion of the Success of the Methods Used • • • • • 46
LIFE HISTORT AND HABITS OP THE MARTE2Ï...................... 49
Behavior in the Trap 49
Behavior on Release ......... 51
Arboreal Tendencies 54
Activity Pattern ......... 55
Sociability 56
Trails...............................................57
Attitude Toward Man 5^
Predation . ......... 59
Food Habits ......... 59
Breeding Season 61
Minimum Breeding Age .........« 62
Date of Birth 63
Iv
Page
Number of Young * • • • ....... * • • • • • • • • • • • 63
Development of the Young ......... 64
Care of the Young ............. 63
POPULATION PHENOMENA......... 70
Population Composition 70
Population Density .............. 76
Weights ........................* # . # # 73
Foraging Areas........... 33
Habitat Use « ..................................... 102
POPULATION DYNAMICS....................................... 107
MANAGEMENT ASPECTS...................................... 115
Census Methods 115
Environmental Needs . . ........... 116
Movements 113
Refuges • • « • • • • 119
Seasons and Harvest Quotas 121
Habitat Improvement......... 124
S m C O R Y .................. 125
LITERATURE CITED...........................................123
LIST OP TABLES
TABLE TITLE PAGE
1# Summary of Climate and Weather . . . . . . . . . 6
2# Major Plant Species Present ............ 9
3* Mansnals Noted with Abundance Rating 11
4# Birds Noted with Abundance Rating • • • • • • • • • • • 10
5* Vegetation Survey Results ........ 17
6. Birds, Red Squirrels and Chipmunksp er 1000 feet by
Habitat . . 19
7. Results of Small Mammal Trapping. Plot # 1 . . . . , « . 21
8. Results of Small Mammal Trapping. Plot # 2 ...... 22
9. Summary of Trapping Results . .. . . . . . . . 43
10. Sex Ratio Comparisons • • • • • 4B
11. Residential Status of the Marten . . . . . . . . . 71
12. Number of Marten Last Captured in Each Quarterly Period. 75
13# Marten Densities on the Study Area .. . . . . . . . . 7B
14# Mean Weights of Non-juvenile Marten . . .. ... 79
15* Foraging Area Sizes of Male and Female Marten . • . • • 87
16. Seasonal Foraging Area Size Comparisons . . . . . . . . 93
17. Successive Capture Distances of an Adult Male Marten . # 94
18# Percent Success by Habitat T y p e ................. 103
19. Marten Density Index by Habitat Type . . . . . . . . . 104
20. Trap Success by Primary Species ........ 106
21. Trap Success by Size Class . . . . . . . . .. 106
-V -
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE TITLE PAGE
1. Study Area.......... 4
2# Vegetation Map . .............. . # 7
3# Trap Check Form 31
4. Capture Form............. • • » . . ................ 35
5. Juvenile Captures " 1953 6$
6* Juvenile Captures ^ 1954 . 66
7* Population Composition 72
S# Juvenile Male Marten Weights . . .. . . . . . . SO
9# Monthly Mean Marten Weights . . . . . . . ... SI
10. Weights of an Adult Male Marten « .............. S2
11. Minimum Foraging Areas, Non-juvenile Marten, 1953-1954. S5
12. Minimum Foraging Areas. Juvenile Tlarten, 1953-1954 * . S6
13. Minizmm Foraging Areas. Non-Juvenile Marten, Summer,
1953 . . 8S
14. Minimum Foraging Areas. Non-juvenile Marten, Winter,
1954 . . S9
15. Minimum Foraging Areas. Non-juvenile Marten, Summer,
1954 . . 90
16. Minimum Foraging Areas. Mon-juvenile Jîarten, Fall, 1954 91
17. Foraging Area Use. Adult Male #2. . . . . . . . . 96
IS. Foraging Area Use. Adult Male #6 and Adult Female #10 • 97
19. Foraging Area Use. Adult Male #7 and Adult Female #4. . 9S
LIST OF PLATES
PLATE I Trap set in stump with marten held captive . . . . 27
PLATE II Method of weighing marten in handling cone • • . • 33
-vi-
ACKTÎOlVLEDGKOTrrS
The help contributed by laany individuals and cooperating
agencies is most sincerely appreciated* A special word of thanks
goes to Mr* Fletcher E* Newby for assistance and guidance in field
techniques, information on preliminary studies, and the interest he
has shown during this investigation ; and Dr* Philip L* Wright for
the invaluable guidance and assistance he has given throughout the
period of the study* To Dr* Ludvig Browman and Dr. John Craighead,
appreciation is extended for their interest and advice during the
investigation. I wish to thank the Glacier National Park Service
personnel for their help and hospitality while I was residing in
the Park.
I am also indebted tot
Dr. Joseph Kramer for the help given on some of the vegeta-
tional aspects of the problem. Charles Crunden for his help on
some of the surveys and for information obtained from trapping on
the area near the study location and preliminary investigations on
the area. Ken Greer for giving transportation when travel conditions
were difficult. The individual members of the Wildlife Research
Unit; Zoology, Botany and Forestry staff for advice and assistance*
The National Park Service for the use of housing and communications
facilities.
The Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit and Pittman—
Robertson Project W-49-R provided financial aid and equipment. The
-vii-
-viii-
study was conducted in Glacier National Park with the permission of
the National Park Service through the collaboratorship of Dr.
Philip L. Wight# Mr. Beatty, Park Naturalist, helped to coordinate
activities with the Park Service and for this help I wish to express
my appreciation.