Jyothish Madambikattil Sasi & Biju Dharmapalan

The Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii), also known as the white-bellied marten, is a small carnivorous mammal that belongs to the Mustelidae family. It is native to the Western Ghats of India, specifically the Nilgiri Hills, which is where it derives its name from.

Pampadum Shola National Park located on the southern portion of the Western Ghats is a safe haven for this agile animal. They prefer dense forests with a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees. The Nilgiri marten has a slender body, long tail, and dark brown or blackish-brown fur with a distinctive white patch on its throat and chest. It has sharp claws and a pointed snout.

It is primarily arboreal and agile, spending much of its time in the forest canopy. It is about 50-70 cm long and dark brown in colour, with a distinct lemon yellow coloured patch on its throat. The male martens are slightly larger than females, measuring around 55 to 65 centimeters (22 to 26 inches) in length, including the tail.

Scientific estimates limit its population to a mere 1000 individuals. Nilgiri martens are opportunistic predators, feeding on a variety of prey. Their diet includes small mammals like rodents, birds, eggs, insects, reptiles, and even fruits and nuts. It is a solitary animal and hunts mostly at night. Not only is the Nilgiri marten rare, it is also insufficiently studied. The animal’s obscure nature…read more on NOPR