Few people know that the American marten, a
forest-dwelling weasel the size of a house cat, hunts small mammals
in cavities under snow, and “is so exquisitely tuned to its
surroundings that it can depress its body temperature …
minimizing energy expenditures in the stressful winter months.” Or
that the wolverine, the largest of the weasels, weighing 30 pounds
on average and legendary for its ferocity, is more of a scavenger
than a hunter. A 10-page pamphlet produced by the Predator Project
and the Biodiversity Legal Foundation introduces these and other
little-known predators that are often overlooked with so much
public attention focused on restoring wolves and grizzly bears.
“These species need our help if they, like America’s last
wildlands, are to live on in more than just our memories,” says the
pamphlet, The Wild Bunch: America’s forest carnivores may be headed
for the final showdown. It suggests that we might halt the decline
of these animals by protecting existing roadless areas, changing
clear-cutting and fire-suppression practices, ending trapping, and
developing conservation strategies. For a copy of The Wild Bunch,
or to help with pamphlet distribution, write the Predator Project,
P.O. Box 6733, Bozeman, MT 59771, 406/587-3389, (e-mail:
predproj@avicom.net).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Forgotten, but not gone – yet.
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