Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii)
Blurb from the Author: I am a big fan of ferrets so I went to the next best thing, martens! This picture was absolutely striking and I couldn’t ignore it, nor did I know that this species of marten existed. As I continued my research about the nilgiri marten I found out that there was little known about this species so I did my best to provide what is known!
Lifespan: 10-14 years (in captivity) unknown (wild)
Population Size: 1,000 individuals 🙁
Geographical Location: They are endemic to southern India. They can more specifically be found in the western Ghats mountain range where there are tropical forests and growing plantations.
Diet: They are omnivorous (partial insectivores and frugivores) and eat foods such as birds, small mammals, insects, fruits, and seeds.
Size: ~5 lbs, ~2 ft long
Conservation Status: vulnerable 🙁
Predators: There are no specified predators, but it is assumed that natural carnivores within the nilgiri marten’s habitat will prey on them along with human who kill them for their pelts.
Reproduction: The information that is used to explain their reproduction methods is compiled from the mustelids family and the yellow-throated martens. It is assumed that they breed seasonally between February and March or June and August. The length of the females gestation period is either 30-65 days or 220-290 and they have 2-6 kits per litter.
Communication: Little is know about their communication, but again it is assumed that they are social creatures (based off of their other close marten cousins) and use scent marking and some vocalizations.
- Fun Facts:
- They are diurnal
- There is not many other known facts about them unfortunately
Websites Used for Research: http://animalia.bio/nilgiri-marten https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Martes_gwatkinsii/ https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12847/86161239
References: Webb, A. 2013. “Martes gwatkinsii” (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 07, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Martes_gwatkinsii/