Distribution Past and Present: (taken from information distributed by Wildlife Division and published documents)
PAST
Historical references to marten were reported from most parts of the island and date back to at least 1795. From the 1830 to the 1840's, hundreds of pelts were being shipped annually from the island. The marten's keen sense of smell and great curiosity allowed trappers to take them regularly until declining numbers resulted in the permanent closure of the trapping season in 1934.
In an effort to help marten expand to new areas, they were introduced to Main River in 1976 and 1978, to LaPoile River Valley and Sceviour Island in 1975, and to Notre Dame Bay in 1976 and Terra Nova National Park (TNNP) in 1982,1983,1998 and 1999. It appears that most of these introductions were unsuccessful. The introduction to Main River and TNNP may have been the exceptions.
The first published information on distribution for the Island was by Tom Beregerud, Chief Biologist for the Wildlife Division, in 1969. The following is a quote from his publication:
"I wish to call to the attention of conservationists the precarious status of the Newfoundland pine marten (Martes americana atrata Bangs). In the past 50 years marten have disappeared from large sections of central Newfoundland. By 1960 the species’ range was no longer continuous-one population was located in eastern Newfoundland in the vicinity of Gander Lake, Northwest Gander River, and Gambo Pond-Trinton Brook (Fig. 1). A second population located in western Newfoundland was concentrated between Little Grand Lake and Lloyds Lake, along the east shore of Grand Lake, and in the river valleys of Southwest Brook, Little Barachois Brook and Flat Bay Brook (Fig. 1).
The last marten sighting reported to me from the eastern population was in 1961; this population is now probably extinct. The future of the western population is not bright. At present a road is being constructed from Buchans to St. Georges, through the heart of the present range. This road will open this vast region to logging operations."
Beregrud's publication is available at this link.
PRESENT STATUS
In Canada, marten are no longer found on Prince Edward Island, or in the developed areas of southern Ontario and Quebec. In Nova Scotia, where numbers are low, they are completely protected. Elsewhere in Canada, there are enough marten to allow controlled trapping. In the United States, they can be found in Maine, New England States, the Great Lakes states, in some western states, and as far south as Northern New Mexico and central California. In Labrador, marten are found in most forested areas, where they are trapped for their pelt. On the island of Newfoundland, they are found in areas surrounding Little Grand Lake, Red Indian Lake and Main River on the west coast. On the east coast, there is a small population in Terra Nova National Park area.
In the early 1980s, it was estimated by the Provincial Wildlife Division that there were between 630 and 875 marten on the island. Recent data indicate that there are now about 300 marten on the Island. However, marten are still common in Labrador.
The above map shows the current (2001) distribution of Newfoundland marten. The highest concentration is in the lower portion of the shaded area near Little Grand Lake and Red Indian Lakes.