A new southern distribution record for Pacific Marten Martes caurina

ThePacific Marten is a mesocarnivore that is native to western North America, with a distribution that ranges from the boreal forests of southern British Columbia to the southern terminus of the Rocky Mountains in north-central New Mexico. Martens are considered a state-threatened species in New Mexico, and the southern extent of their range is unclear. We documented a sighting of a Pacific Marten at 35.835, -105.750, north-east of Santa Fe that is farther south than any confirmed marten sighting since 1884. It is unknown if this sighting represents the documentation of a population or just a lone individual. It is unlikely that marten populations would extend much farther south, as this is near the southern terminus of the Rocky Mountains. However, a systematic survey to determine the distribution of this southern population would inform conservation of Pacific Martens within the state.