How To Release a Marten From A Rabbit Snare:
Every year marten are accidentally snared by someone who
has set a snare for a rabbit. This person has obtained a
legal rabbit license and therefore permitted to set a snare
for a rabbit in a designated area outlined in his license.
However, shortly after the snare is set and before a rabbit
gets in the snare, a marten may come by and get in the
snare. If the person snaring rabbits checks his/her snares
only twice a week, the marten will almost certainly die
from exposure or by strangulation. If the snares are
checked every day, there is a good chance that the marten
may be still alive in the snare and could potentially be
released. The marten can be released by placing your coat
or rain jacket over the marten and getting close enough to
cut the rabbit wire. If you are rabbit snaring in an area
that is known to have marten sightings, I would suggest you
carry a pair of small wire cutters and heavy gloves. While
doing this, the marten will be quite vocal and be cursing
you up in heaps! Keep reminding yourself that this is an
endangered species. It's important to release the marten so
the species can continue to live in your area. Do not worry
about the marten escaping with the wire still on its neck
or body. The marten will remove the rabbit wire later.
Tests on marten caught in rabbit wire have shown that the
wire is usually shed within 24 to 48 hours. A successful
release will have given you the satisfaction of knowing you
have saved the life of an endangered animal.
If the marten is dead when you check your snares or it died
while you were trying to let it escape, please don't panic
and discard the animal into the woods. Please take the
animal out of the woods and call the nearest
Forestry/Wildlife Office as soon as possible(709-637-2008). A Conservation
Officer will come to your house and pick up the marten.
He/she will collect information on the location, etc, and
thank you for your assistance. Your action will have helped
researchers manage this species and increased the
possibility that one day the marten will be removed from
the Endangered List.
You could also email: Isabelle Schmelzer to report your accidental capture of a
marten. She will arrange for the marten to be picked up
from your house. Isabelle works as a biologist with the
provincial Wildlife Division in Corner Brook. She is
also interested in knowing about any marten tracks you
may have spotted. Please call her if you have any
information.(709-637-2008)
If you accidentally snare, trap or spot marten tracks in
Central Newfoundland, please call John Gosse at Terra Nova
National Park at (709)533-3184 or Shawn Avery with
Department of Natural Resources at (709)466-1427.
It's very important that all of us do our part to have this
animal around for our children to observe and enjoy.