Nilgiri marten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nilgiri marten |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Martes
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| Species: |
gwatkinsii
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| Nilgiri marten range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Charronia gwatkinsii |
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The Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii) is a special animal found only in southern India. It's the only type of marten that lives there. You can find it in the Nilgiri Hills and parts of the Western Ghats mountain range. Sadly, there are only about a thousand of these martens left. Because of this, it is listed as a Vulnerable animal on the IUCN Red List. This means it needs our help to survive!
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What the Nilgiri Marten Looks Like and Does
The Nilgiri marten has beautiful fur. Its body, from head to tail, is a deep brown color. The front part of its body, near its shoulders, can look a bit reddish. It has a bright patch on its throat that can be yellow or orange.
This marten is quite large for its kind. It is about 55 to 65 centimeters (21 to 25 inches) long from its head to where its tail begins. Its tail is also long, about 40 to 45 centimeters (15 to 17 inches). An adult Nilgiri marten usually weighs around 2.1 kilograms (4.6 pounds).
Daily Life and Diet
The Nilgiri marten is a diurnal animal. This means it is active during the day, unlike some animals that hunt at night. It mostly lives in trees, which is called being arboreal. However, it does come down to the ground sometimes.
This marten is an omnivorous eater. This means it eats both plants and animals. It hunts and eats prey like birds, small mammals, and insects such as cicadas. It also enjoys eating different kinds of fruits and seeds.
Where the Nilgiri Marten Lives
The Nilgiri marten mainly lives in special areas called shola grassland and high-altitude evergreen forests. These forests are found in the Western Ghats mountains in southern India. You can find them in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Sometimes, they also visit nearby mid-altitude moist deciduous forests and even farms with commercial plants. The marten's name comes from the Nilgiri Hills, which are right in the middle of where it lives. People have seen these martens as far north as Charmadi Ghat and as far south as the Neyyar and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuaries.
How It Got Its Name
This species was named after a person named Reynolds Gwatkins. He gave a specimen (an example of the animal) to Colonel W.H. Sykes. Later, in 1851, a scientist named Thomas Horsfield described the animal from its skin. This skin was kept in a museum belonging to the East India Company.
