South Indian red marten
| South Indian red marten | ||||||||||||
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South Indian red marten ( Martes gwatkinsii ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Martes gwatkinsii | ||||||||||||
| Horsfield , 1851 |
The South Indian red marten ( Martes gwatkinsii ), also known as Indian charsa , is a little-researched Indian species of marten that is endemic to the Western Ghats .
features
The South Indian red marten looks very similar to the red marten . The males reach a head-trunk length of 50 to 70 centimeters, a tail length of 35 to 50 centimeters and a weight of 1 to 3 kilograms. The fur is predominantly dark brown. Shoulders and torso are reddish brown. The throat is clearly marked rusty yellow or lemon yellow. The skull is low and flat.
habitat
The South Indian red marten lives in forests at altitudes between 120 and 2383 m.
Way of life
Little is known about his way of life. He is apparently diurnal. Its food includes giant king squirrels , Indian squirrels , Bengal monitor lizards as well as honey and nectar. Both solitary animals and couples were observed either on the ground or in the treetops.
status
The South Indian red marten is endangered by habitat destruction and hunting. Its habitat is fragmented across the entire range.
literature
- Serge Larivière & Andrew P. Jennings: Family Mustelidae (Weasels and relatives) In: Don E. Wilson & Russel Mittermeier (Eds.) Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, 2009, p. 630, ISBN 978-84-96-553-49-1 .
- DE Wilson and DM Reeder: Mammal Species of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
Web links
- Martes gwatkinsii in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2008. Posted by: Choudhury, A., Wozencraft, C., Muddapa, D. & Yonzon, P., 2008. Accessed June 12 of 2009.
- Description and distribution map ( Memento from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (English)