Accurately determining the health and population size of a species can go a long way in conservation efforts. However, elusive species such as the Humboldt marten can create a number of challenges for researchers.
Fortunately, trail cameras have become an invaluable tool in picking up where researchers left off.
In a study published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation, a team led by scientists from Oregon State University utilized remote cameras and other non-invasive methods to observe the Humboldt marten.
The scientists collected evidence from hair snares and photos without trapping or disturbing the animals. They then used advanced statistical models to estimate how many martens live in the study area in Northern California and how densely they're distributed across the landscape.
Throughout the three-month study, researchers identified 46 martens, including 28 males and 18 females. Altogether, they estimated that there were 111 Humboldt martens inside the study area.
"Coastal martens like forests with old-growth characteristics, and those types of forests are being threatened by the effects of climate change, including more frequent and severe wildfire, and certain forest management practices," said Sean Matthews, wildlife ecologist and co-author of the study, per a news release from Oregon State University.
"Beyond that, there's a lot we don't know about this species, including information as basic as what forests do coastal martens still occupy, how many martens are there, and are these populations increasing," Matthews added.
Historically, Humboldt martens have lived throughout coastal forests in Northern California and Oregon. Today, they've all but disappeared from a majority of their habitat, occupying just 5% of that range. As a result, they are listed as being endangered in California and federally threatened.
The carnivorous small predator often feeds on smaller mammals including voles and squirrels, helping to control their populations and balance regional ecosystems. While their significance to the environment is well known, their ability to evade accurate documentation has become their real calling card.
As Discover Wildlife describes, the Humboldt marten has earned its reputation as an animal that is "secretive and hard to spot." Though this skill may increase the difficulty of research, it has benefited the species in the wild.
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"Structural complexity with coarse woody debris helps them hunt and also provides cover from predators and competitors," OSU faculty research assistant Erika Anderson said. "But despite continued conservation concern over the last 30 years, we have a lot to learn about marten distribution and demography and how forest conditions influence their distribution and density."
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