Nilgiri marten

Species of carnivore

Nilgiri marten

Conservation status

Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Carnivora
Family:  | Mustelidae
Genus:  | Martes
Species:  |

M. gwatkinsii

Binomial name
Martes gwatkinsii

(Horsfield, 1851)

Nilgiri marten range
Synonyms

Charronia gwatkinsii

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[edit]

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[edit]

1. ^ 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.
2. ^ a b Prater, S. H. (2005) [1971]. The Book of Indian Animals (3rd ed.). Mumbai: Bombay Natural History Society, Oxford University Press.
3. ^ 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.
4. ^ 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.
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ 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.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ 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.
9. ^ 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.
10. ^ 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.
11. ^ 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.
12. ^ A Catalogue of the Mammalia in the Museum of the Hon. East India Company. 1851. pp. 99–101.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Martes gwatkinsii.

* Photographs: Close encounters in the wild
* NilgiriMarten.com (archived 26 December 2009)

* v
* t
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Extant Carnivora species

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Infraclass: Eutheria
* Superorder: Laurasiatheria

Suborder Feliformia

| Nandiniidae|

| Nandinia|

* African palm civet (N. binotata)

|

Herpestidae
(Mongooses)|

| Atilax|

* Marsh mongoose (A. paludinosus)

|

Bdeogale|

* Bushy-tailed mongoose (B. crassicauda)
* Jackson's mongoose (B. jacksoni)
* Black-footed mongoose (B. nigripes)

Crossarchus|

* Alexander's kusimanse (C. alexandri)
* Angolan kusimanse (C. ansorgei)
* Common kusimanse (C. obscurus)
* Flat-headed kusimanse (C. platycephalus)

Cynictis|

* Yellow mongoose (C. penicillata)

Dologale|

* Pousargues's mongoose (D. dybowskii)

Helogale|

* Ethiopian dwarf mongoose (H. hirtula)
* Common dwarf mongoose (H. parvula)

Herpestes|

* Angolan slender mongoose (H. flavescens)
* Egyptian mongoose (H. ichneumon)
* Somalian slender mongoose (H. ochracea)
* Cape gray mongoose (H. pulverulenta)
* Common slender mongoose (H. sanguinea)

Ichneumia|

* White-tailed mongoose (I. albicauda)

Liberiictus|

* Liberian mongoose (L. kuhni)

Mungos|

* Gambian mongoose (M. gambianus)
* Banded mongoose (M. mungo)

Paracynictis|

* Selous's mongoose (P. selousi)

Rhynchogale|

* Meller's mongoose (R. melleri)

Suricata|

* Meerkat (S. suricatta)

Urva|

* Small Indian mongoose (U. auropunctata)
* Short-tailed mongoose (U. brachyura)
* Indian grey mongoose (U. edwardsii)
* Indian brown mongoose (U. fusca)
* Javan mongoose (U. javanica)
* Collared mongoose (U. semitorquata)
* Ruddy mongoose (U. smithii)
* Crab-eating mongoose (U. urva)
* Stripe-necked mongoose (U. vitticolla)

Xenogale|

* Long-nosed mongoose (X. naso)

Hyaenidae
(Hyenas)|

| Crocuta|

* Spotted hyena (C. crocuta)

|

Hyaena|

* Striped hyena (H. hyaena)

Parahyaena|

* Brown hyena (P. brunnea)

Proteles|

* Aardwolf (P. cristata)

Felidae|

Large family listed below

Viverridae|

Large family listed below

Eupleridae|

Small family listed below

Family Felidae

| Felinae|

| Acinonyx|

* Cheetah (A. jubatus)

|

Caracal|

* African golden cat (C. aurata)
* Caracal (C. caracal)

Catopuma|

* Bay cat (C. badia)
* Asian golden cat (C. temminckii)

Felis|

* Chinese mountain cat (F. bieti)
* Domestic cat (F. catus)
* Jungle cat (F. chaus)
* African wildcat (F. lybica)
* Sand cat (F. margarita)
* Black-footed cat (F. nigripes)
* European wildcat (F. silvestris)

Herpailurus|

* Jaguarundi (H. yagouaroundi)

Leopardus|

* Pampas cat (L. colocola)
* Geoffroy's cat (L. geoffroyi)
* Kodkod (L. guigna)
* Southern tiger cat (L. guttulus)
* Andean mountain cat (L. jacobita)
* Ocelot (L. pardalis)
* Oncilla (L. tigrinus)
* Margay (L. wiedii)
* Nariño cat (L. narinensis)

Leptailurus|

* Serval (L. serval)

Lynx|

* Canada lynx (L. canadensis)
* Eurasian lynx (L. lynx)
* Iberian lynx (L. pardinus)
* Bobcat (L. rufus)

Otocolobus|

* Pallas's cat (O. manul)

Pardofelis|

* Marbled cat (P. marmorata)

Prionailurus|

* Leopard cat (P. bengalensis)
* Sunda leopard cat (P. javanensis)
* Flat-headed cat (P. planiceps)
* Rusty-spotted cat (P. rubiginosus)
* Fishing cat (P. viverrinus)

Puma|

* Cougar (P. concolor)

Pantherinae|

| Panthera|

* Lion (P. leo)
* Jaguar (P. onca)
* Leopard (P. pardus)
* Tiger (P. tigris)
* Snow leopard (P. uncia)

|

Neofelis|

* Sunda clouded leopard (N. diardi)
* Clouded leopard (N. nebulosa)

Prionodontidae

| Prionodon|

* Banded linsang (P. linsang)
* Spotted linsang (P. pardicolor)

|

Family Viverridae

| Paradoxurinae|

| Arctictis|

* Binturong (A. binturong)

|

Arctogalidia|

* Small-toothed palm civet (A. trivirgata)

Macrogalidia|

* Sulawesi palm civet (M. musschenbroekii)

Paguma|

* Masked palm civet (P. larvata)

Paradoxurus|

* Asian palm civet (P. hermaphroditus)
* Brown palm civet (P. jerdoni)
* Golden palm civet (P. zeylonensis)

Hemigalinae|

| Chrotogale|

* Owston's palm civet (C. owstoni)

|

Cynogale|

* Otter civet (C. bennettii)

Diplogale|

* Hose's palm civet (D. hosei)

Hemigalus|

* Banded palm civet (H. derbyanus)

Viverrinae|

| Civettictis|

* African civet (C. civetta)

|

Viverra|

* Malabar large-spotted civet (V. civettina)
* Large-spotted civet (V. megaspila)
* Malayan civet (V. tangalunga)
* Large Indian civet (V. zibetha)

Viverricula|

* Small Indian civet (V. indica)

Genettinae|

| Genetta
(Genets)|

* Abyssinian genet (G. abyssinica)
* Angolan genet (G. angolensis)
* Bourlon's genet (G. bourloni)
* Crested servaline genet (G. cristata)
* Common genet (G. genetta)
* Johnston's genet (G. johnstoni)
* Letaba genet (G. letabae)
* Rusty-spotted genet (G. maculata)
* Pardine genet (G. pardina)
* Aquatic genet (G. piscivora)
* King genet (G. poensis)
* Servaline genet (G. servalina)
* Hausa genet (G. thierryi)
* Cape genet (G. tigrina)
* Giant forest genet (G. victoriae)
* South African small-spotted genet (G. felina)

|

Poiana|

* Central African oyan (P. richardsonii)
* West African oyan (P. leightoni)

Family Eupleridae

| Euplerinae|

| Cryptoprocta|

* Fossa (C. ferox)

|

Eupleres|

* Eastern falanouc (E. goudotii)
* Western falanouc (E. major)

Fossa|

* Malagasy civet (F. fossana)

Galidiinae|

| Galidia|

* Ring-tailed vontsira (G. elegans)

|

Galidictis|

* Broad-striped Malagasy mongoose (G. fasciata)
* Grandidier's mongoose (G. grandidieri)

Mungotictis|

* Narrow-striped mongoose (M. decemlineata)

Salanoia|

* Brown-tailed mongoose (S. concolor)
* Durrell's vontsira (S. durrelli)

Suborder Caniformia (cont. below)

| Ursidae
(Bears)|

| Ailuropoda|

* Giant panda (A. melanoleuca)

|

Helarctos|

* Sun bear (H. malayanus)

Melursus|

* Sloth bear (M. ursinus)

Tremarctos|

* Spectacled bear (T. ornatus)

Ursus|

* American black bear (U. americanus)
* Brown bear (U. arctos)
* Polar bear (U. maritimus)
* Asian black bear (U. thibetanus)

Mephitidae
(Skunks)|

| Conepatus
(Hog-nosed
skunks)|

* Molina's hog-nosed skunk (C. chinga)
* Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk (C. humboldtii)
* American hog-nosed skunk (C. leuconotus)
* Striped hog-nosed skunk (C. semistriatus)

|

Mephitis|

* Hooded skunk (M. macroura)
* Striped skunk (M. mephitis)

Mydaus|

* Sunda stink badger (M. javanensis)
* Palawan stink badger (M. marchei)

Spilogale
(Spotted skunks)|

* Southern spotted skunk (S. angustifrons)
* Western spotted skunk (S. gracilis)
* Eastern spotted skunk (S. putorius)
* Pygmy spotted skunk (S. pygmaea)

Procyonidae
(Raccoons, coatis, olingos)|

| Bassaricyon
(Olingos)|

* Eastern lowland olingo (B. alleni)
* Northern olingo (B. gabbii)
* Western lowland olingo (B. medius)
* Olinguito (B. neblina)

|

Bassariscus|

* Ringtail (B. astutus)
* Cacomistle (B. sumichrasti)

Nasua
(Coatis inclusive)|

* White-nosed coati (N. narica)
* South American coati (N. nasua)

Nasuella
(Coatis inclusive)|

* Eastern mountain coati (N. meridensis)
* Western mountain coati (N. olivacea)

Potos|

* Kinkajou (P. flavus)

Procyon|

* Crab-eating raccoon (P. cancrivorus)
* Raccoon (P. lotor)
* Cozumel raccoon (P. pygmaeus)

Ailuridae|

| Ailurus|

* Red panda (A. fulgens)

|

Suborder Caniformia (cont. above)

| Otariidae
(Eared seals)
(includes fur seals
and sea lions)
(Pinniped inclusive)|

| Arctocephalus|

* South American fur seal (A. australis)
* Australasian fur seal (A. forsteri)
* Galápagos fur seal (A. galapagoensis)
* Antarctic fur seal (A. gazella)
* Juan Fernández fur seal (A. philippii)
* Brown fur seal (A. pusillus)
* Guadalupe fur seal (A. townsendi)
* Subantarctic fur seal (A. tropicalis)

|

Callorhinus|

* Northern fur seal (C. ursinus)

Eumetopias|

* Steller sea lion (E. jubatus)

Neophoca|

* Australian sea lion (N. cinerea)

Otaria|

* South American sea lion (O. flavescens)

Phocarctos|

* New Zealand sea lion (P. hookeri)

Zalophus|

* California sea lion (Z. californianus)
* Galápagos sea lion (Z. wollebaeki)

Odobenidae
(Pinniped inclusive)|

| Odobenus|

* Walrus (O. rosmarus)

|

Phocidae
(Earless seals)
(Pinniped inclusive)|

| Cystophora|

* Hooded seal (C. cristata)

|

Erignathus|

* Bearded seal (E. barbatus)

Halichoerus|

* Grey seal (H. grypus)

Histriophoca|

* Ribbon seal (H. fasciata)

Hydrurga|

* Leopard seal (H. leptonyx)

Leptonychotes|

* Weddell seal (L. weddellii)

Lobodon|

* Crabeater seal (L. carcinophagus)

Mirounga
(Elephant seals)|

* Northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris)
* Southern elephant seal (M. leonina)

Monachus|

* Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus)

Neomonachus|

* Hawaiian monk seal (N. schauinslandi)

Ommatophoca|

* Ross seal (O. rossi)

Pagophilus|

* Harp seal (P. groenlandicus)

Phoca|

* Spotted seal (P. largha)
* Harbor seal (P. vitulina)

Pusa|

* Caspian seal (P. caspica)
* Ringed seal (P. hispida)
* Baikal seal (P. sibirica)

Canidae|

Large family listed below

Mustelidae|

Large family listed below

Family Canidae (includes dogs)

| Atelocynus|

* Short-eared dog (A. microtis)

|

Canis|

* Golden jackal (C. aureus)
* Domestic dog (C. familiaris)
* Coyote (C. latrans)
* African wolf (C. lupaster)
* Wolf (C. lupus)
* Eastern wolf (C. lycaon)
* Red wolf (C. rufus)
* Ethiopian wolf (C. simensis)

Cerdocyon|

* Crab-eating fox (C. thous)

Chrysocyon|

* Maned wolf (C. brachyurus)

Cuon|

* Dhole (C. alpinus)

Lupulella|

* Side-striped jackal (L. adustus)
* Black-backed jackal (L. mesomelas)

Lycalopex|

* Culpeo (L. culpaeus)
* Darwin's fox (L. fulvipes)
* South American gray fox (L. griseus)
* Pampas fox (L. gymnocercus)
* Sechuran fox (L. sechurae)
* Hoary fox (L. vetulus)

Lycaon|

* African wild dog (L. pictus)

Nyctereutes|

* Common raccoon dog (N. procyonoides)
* Japanese raccoon dog (N. viverrinus)

Otocyon|

* Bat-eared fox (O. megalotis)

Speothos|

* Bush dog (S. venaticus)

Urocyon|

* Gray fox (U. cinereoargenteus)
* Island fox (U. littoralis)

Vulpes
(Foxes)|

* Bengal fox (V. bengalensis)
* Blanford's fox (V. cana)
* Cape fox (V. chama)
* Corsac fox (V. corsac)
* Tibetan fox (V. ferrilata)
* Arctic fox (V. lagopus)
* Kit fox (V. macrotis)
* Pale fox (V. pallida)
* Rüppell's fox (V. rueppelli)
* Swift fox (V. velox)
* Red fox (V. vulpes)
* Fennec fox (V. zerda)

Family Mustelidae

| Helictidinae
(Ferret-badgers)|

| Melogale|

* Vietnam ferret-badger (M. cucphuongensis)
* Bornean ferret badger (M. everetti)
* Chinese ferret-badger (M. moschata)
* Javan ferret-badger (M. orientalis)
* Burmese ferret-badger (M. personata)
* Formosan ferret-badger (M. subaurantiaca)

|

Guloninae
(Martens and wolverines)|

| Eira|

* Tayra (E. barbara)

|

Gulo|

* Wolverine (G. gulo)

Martes
(Martens)|

* American marten (M. americana)
* Pacific marten (M. caurina)
* Yellow-throated marten (M. flavigula)
* Beech marten (M. foina)
* Nilgiri marten (M. gwatkinsii)
* European pine marten (M. martes)
* Japanese marten (M. melampus)
* Sable (M. zibellina)

Pekania|

* Fisher (P. pennanti)

Ictonychinae
(African polecats and grisons)|

| Galictis|

* Lesser grison (G. cuja)
* Greater grison (G. vittata)

|

Ictonyx|

* Saharan striped polecat (I. libyca)
* Striped polecat (I. striatus)

Lyncodon|

* Patagonian weasel (L. patagonicus)

Poecilogale|

* African striped weasel (P. albinucha)

Vormela|

* Marbled polecat (V. peregusna)

Lutrinae
(Otters)|

| Aonyx|

* African clawless otter (A. capensis)
* Asian small-clawed otter (A. cinereus)
* Congo clawless otter (A. congicus)

|

Enhydra|

* Sea otter (E. lutris)

Hydrictis|

* Spotted-necked otter (H. maculicollis)

Lontra|

* North American river otter (L. canadensis)
* Marine otter (L. felina)
* Neotropical otter (L. longicaudis)
* Southern river otter (L. provocax)

Lutra|

* Eurasian otter (L. lutra)
* Hairy-nosed otter (L. sumatrana)

Lutrogale|

* Smooth-coated otter (L. perspicillata)

Pteronura|

* Giant otter (P. brasiliensis)

Melinae
(Eurasian badgers)|

| Arctonyx|

* Northern hog badger (A. albogularis)
* Greater hog badger (A. collaris)
* Sumatran hog badger (A. hoevenii)

|

Meles|

* Japanese badger (M. anakuma)
* Caucasian badger (M. canescens)
* Asian badger (M. leucurus)
* European badger (M. meles)

Mellivorinae|

| Mellivora|

* Honey badger (M. capensis)

|

Mustelinae
(Weasels and minks)|

| Mustela
(Weasels and ferrets)|

* Sichuan weasel (M. aistoodonnivalis)
* Mountain weasel (M. altaica)
* Stoat/Beringian ermine (M. erminea)
* Steppe polecat (M. eversmannii)
* Ferret (M. furo)
* Haida ermine (M. haidarum)
* Japanese weasel (M. itatsi)
* Yellow-bellied weasel (M. kathiah)
* European mink (M. lutreola)
* Indonesian mountain weasel (M. lutreolina)
* Black-footed ferret (M. nigripes)
* Least weasel (M. nivalis)
* Malayan weasel (M. nudipes)
* European polecat (M. putorius)
* American ermine (M. richardsonii)
* Siberian weasel (M. sibirica)
* Back-striped weasel (M. strigidorsa)

|

Neogale|

* Amazon weasel (N. africana)
* Colombian weasel (N. felipei)
* Long-tailed weasel (N. frenata)
* American mink (N. vison)

Taxidiinae|

| Taxidea|

* American badger (T. taxus)

|

Taxon identifiers

Martes gwatkinsii|

* Wikidata: Q602823
* Wikispecies: Martes gwatkinsii
* ADW: Martes_gwatkinsii
* CoL: 3Y9VX
* EoL: 328017
* GBIF: 5218863
* iNaturalist: 41797
* IRMNG: 11068772
* ITIS: 621942
* IUCN: 12847
* MSW: 14001240
* Observation.org: 84635
* Open Tree of Life: 3612688
* Species+: 7173

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