THE IMPLICATIONS OF TERRITORIALITY FOR THE SOCIAL SYSTEM OF THE EUROPEAN PINE MARTEN MARTES-MARTES (L, 1758)

The social organisation and the structure of a population of pine mart ens in the northern part of a low mountain range in northwestern Germa ny are investigated in a long-term study. Observations by radio-tracki ng and data from capture-recapture of 12 pine martens (6 females, 6 ma les) show at least four differences in territory size: the seasonal, t he intersexual, that due to the mating system, and that due to genesis . The territories are held over several years. Males already create su mmer territories in early spring, before the birth of the offspring an d about 5 months before the mating season. They leave these only in la te autumn and move into their winter territories. This extensive seaso nal territorial behaviour cannot only be explained as mate guarding, b ut also as offspring guarding by creating a territory-tie. Genetic pat ernity could be determined by the DNA-fingerprinting method. Parental care of the young by the territorial male was never observed. But male s show a distinct guarding behaviour by creating a territorial tie. Th is social structure is called a male-mother-family.