European pine marten

Common name: European pine marten

Scientific name: Martes martes

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Nutrition: Birds, rodents. Its diet also includes fruit and berries.

Features: It looks like the stone marten, but unlike the latter the characteristic spot present on the throat and on the chest is smaller and is never white but yellow. The long and furry tail is useful both in running and jumping because it acts as a stabilizer; the paws have an opposable fifth toe, thanks to which they exert a perfect grip on the trees. 

Curiosity: It is a very agile animal that climbs on the trees with extreme ease, quickly chasing dormouse and squirrels up to the highest tops.