Martens also have enemies, and you can use this fact to combat them - and you don't have to adopt a bear to do so. Get to know the enemies of martens and how you can use them to drive martens away.
Martens are afraid of foxes
The enemies of martens
Like most animals, martens are preyed upon by larger or stronger predators. Martens (without tail) are 40 to 60 cm tall, which significantly reduces the number of enemies. In the wild, martens are hunted and eaten by the following animals:
- foxes
- bears
- wolves
- birds of prey like eagles
Special case cats
Ugly pictures of dead cats that have fallen victim to martens can be found on the Internet. The law of the bigger and stronger applies here: If the cat is significantly larger than the marten, the marten will probably not mess with it; However, if the cat is still small, it is easy prey for the marten. There are also other factors:
- If the marten has young, it will defend them at all costs - even against larger cats.
- If it is the mating season, i.e. summer, male martens are more aggressive and can sometimes attack a larger cat.
- If the marten has already settled at home, it will be more inclined to defend its territory against intruders.
tips
A cat in the house will certainly deter new martens from settling here.
Use urine to drive martens away from enemies
Martens are afraid of foxes. This is good news because you can buy fox urine online and use it against martens. The urine is distributed at windows and in corners in bowls or on cotton balls or similar carriers and the marten takes flight. This method works best preventively.
Alternatively, you can also use cat (e.g. in cat litter) or dog urine or even your own urine.