Rare Video: Tree-Dwelling Predator Caught On Camera By DEC

Another amazing video was caught by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) of an elusive animal rarely been seen by anyone living in the Hudson Valley.

Predators in New York State

New York State is full of sharp-toothed omnivores, and there are constant sightings of black bears, coyotes, and foxes all over the Hudson Valley. Recently, the NYS DEC even caught a fisher on camera adorably playing with bait that was meant for still another meat-eater, a bobcat. But a new video may surpass all of those sightings, as the animal they just spotted in the Adirondacks doesn't have a habitat further south by the Hudson River.

Marten on Camera in the Adirondacks

"Had a visitor on the way up Big Slide last week. Have you ever seen an American Marten?", asked the DEC recently on Facebook. The video (below), taken in the Adirondack mountain range near Lake Placid, NY, shows the brown and white predator adorable bounding around a forest clearing.

Martens in New York

Martens are amazing animals. They live most of their lives up in tress, but come down to the forest floor to hunt. Their oversized feet act like built-in snowshoes that allow them to travel on top of deep powder in the winter, but when their prey is below the snow, they can travel under it, tunneling after tasty rodents.

Martens are close relatives of the fishers that are more commonly seen in the Hudson Valley. Both, along with mink, beaver, and river otter, are all still hunted in the state as well. Fisher and marten trapping season started on October 25th in our region, and extends through December 10th.