NILGIRI MARTEN/Behaviour, Distribution, Habitat, Size, Weight, IUCN stetus

 NILGIRI MARTEN

DESCRIPTION: The largest and rarest Indian marten, the Nilgiri Marten is a dark brown to black animal with a pale yellow to bright yellowish orange neck, and a flat skull with a concave depression on its forehead. Unlike in the Yellow- throated Marten, the yellow in the Nilgiri Marten is restricted only to the underside of the neck and chest down to the upper forelegs. It has been mistaken in the field for the Malabar Giant Squirrel when viewed in the trees, but can be distinguished at a glance by its shorter, all-black tail and the lack of rufous or maroon anywhere on the body.

BEHAVIOUR: Very arboreal, it is found often at canopy level but also equally terrestrial.

DISTRIBUTION: Endemic to the Western Ghats.

HABITAT: Montane (shola) and evergreen forests; rarely in moist deciduous forests and plantations. In altitude, it ranges from 120–2,900 m332 but is more common from 600–1,400 m.

Size: 55–70 cm

IUCN  Status: Vulnerable