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The marten belongs to the weasel family (Mustelidae), which also includes animals such as ermines, mink, ferrets, and wolverines. Marten are found in Canada and in parts of the United States and in the Eastern Hemisphere from Europe to the Malay region.
An abdominal scent gland is present, as well as anal scent glands. The pine marten is an adept tree climber, with many adaptations including bone and muscle structure for powerful forelimbs, long tail to aid in balancing, and well-developed claws (Grzimek 1990, Corbet and Southern 1977, Nowak 1999).