my new favorite animal

Pine martens are small, rare members of the weasel family often confused with two other weasels that live in Wisconsin: fishers and stone martens. Like other species in the weasel family, the male and female are different sizes. The female is about three-fourths the size of the male. The female pine marten measures about 18-22 inches and stands about 6 inches high. Females weigh in at 1.5-1.8 pounds and males at 1.6-2.8 pounds. Their fur is soft and thick, varying in color from pale buff or yellow to reddish or dark brown. Their throats are pale buff with black tails and legs. Two vertical black lines run above the inner corners of their eyes. In winter, long hairs grow between the toe pads on their feet, similar to the snowshoe hare. Thick fur helps keep their feet warm and helps them travel long distances on snow. Pine martens have long, bushy tails, one-third the length of their body.