From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Species of carnivore
The Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii ) is the only
marten species native to southern
India . It lives in the hills of the
Nilgiris and parts of the
Western Ghats . With only around a thousand members left it is listed as
Vulnerable on the
IUCN Red List .
[1]
The Nilgiri marten is deep brown from head to rump, with the forequarters being almost reddish, with a bright throat ranging in colour from yellow to orange. It has a prominent frontal
concavity and is larger than the
yellow-throated marten .
[2] It is about 55–65 cm (22–26 in) long from head to vent and has a tail of 40–45 cm (16–18 in). It weighs about 2.1 kg (4.6 lb).
[3] : 6 The Nilgiri marten is
diurnal . It is mainly
arboreal , but descends to the ground occasionally. It is
omnivorous and
preys on
birds , small mammals and insects such as
cicadas .
[4]
[2] It has also been observed feeding on a variety of fruits and seeds.
[5]
Distribution and habitat
The Nilgiri marten mainly inhabits the
shola grassland and
high altitude evergreen forests , and occasionally the adjacent
mid-altitude moist deciduous forests and commercial plantations, that span the
Western Ghats in the
South Indian states of
Karnataka ,
Kerala , and
Tamil Nadu . The marten's English common name is derived from the
Nilgiri Hills that form the center of its range, but sightings have been reported as far north as
Charmadi Ghat and as far south as the
Neyyar and
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuaries .
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
The species is named after the collector Reynolds Gwatkins who gave a specimen to Colonel W.H. Sykes and was described by Thomas Horsfield from the skin in the museum of the East India Company.
[12]
References
^
a
b Mudappa, D.; Jathana, D. & Raman, T. R. S. (2016) [errata version of 2015 assessment].
"Martes gwatkinsii " .
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015 : e.T12847A86161239.
doi :
10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T12847A45199025.en . Retrieved 9 March 2022 .
^
a
b
Prater, S. H. (2005) [1971]. The Book of Indian Animals (3rd ed.). Mumbai: Bombay Natural History Society, Oxford University Press.
^
Hussain, S. A. (1999).
"Mustelids, Viverrids and Herpestids of India: Species Profile and Conservation Status" . ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas . 2 (2). Dehradun:
Wildlife Institute of India : 1–38.
ISSN
0972-088X .
^ Hutton, A. F. (1948).
"Feeding habits of the Nilgiri marten [Charronia gwatkinsii (Horsfield)]" . Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society . 48 (2): 355–356.
ISSN
0006-6982 .
^ Anil, G.; Kishor, N.; Gafoor, N.; Ommer, N. & Nameer, P. O. (2018).
"Observations on the Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mustelidae) from Pampadum Shola National Park, the southern Western Ghats, India" . Journal of Threatened Taxa . 10 (1): 11226–11230.
doi :
10.11609/jott.3446.10.1.11226-11230 .
^ Christopher, G. & Jayson, E. A. (1996).
"Sightings of Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii Horsfield) at Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary and Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, India" (PDF) . Small Carnivore Conservation . 15 : 3–4.
ISSN
1019-5041 .
Archived from the original on 19 April 2020.
^
Madhusudan, M. D. (1995).
"Sighting of the Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii ) at Eravikulam National Park, Kerala, India" (PDF) . Small Carnivore Conservation . 13 : 6–7.
ISSN
1019-5041 .
Archived from the original on 19 April 2020.
^ Gokula, V. & Ramachandran, N. K. (1996).
"A record of the Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii Horsfield) in Upper Bhavani" . Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society . 93 (1): 82.
ISSN
0006-6982 .
^ Mudappa, D. (1999).
"Lesser Known Carnivores of the Western Ghats" . ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas . 2 (2). Dehradun:
Wildlife Institute of India : 65–70.
ISSN
0972-088X .
^ Balakrishnan, P. (2005).
"Recent sightings and habitat characteristics of the endemic Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii in Western Ghats, India" (PDF) . Small Carnivore Conservation . 33 : 14–16.
ISSN
1019-5041 .
Archived from the original on 19 April 2020.
^ Krishna, K. & Karnad, D. (2010).
"New records of the Nilgiri marten Martes gwatkinsii in the Western Ghats, India" (PDF) . Small Carnivore Conservation . 43 : 23–27.
ISSN
1019-5041 .
Archived from the original on 19 April 2020.
^
A Catalogue of the Mammalia in the Museum of the Hon. East India Company . 1851. pp. 99–101.
External links