Distribution and conservation status of the endemic Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii)

We used Maxent to model the distribution of the Nilgiri marten ( ), a cryptic semi-arboreal mammal, with climate, forest, and human disturbance as covariates. We modelled the species niche, which identified suitable habitat across a variety of land uses and protection regimes. The findings point to...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inMammalia (Paris) Vol. 87; no. 4; pp. 360 - 366
Main Authors Shameer, Thekke Thumbath, Mungi, Ninad Avinash, Backer, Sulekha Jameela, Raman, Sreehari, Reddy, Srinivas Ramchandra, Easa, Pulinkunel Sayedmohammed, Sanil, Raveendranathanpillai
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Berlin De Gruyter 26.07.2023
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Subjects
Coffee
commercial plantations
Conservation status
Endemic species
Grasslands
Human impact
Martes gwatkinsii
MaxEnt
niche modeling
Niches
Protected areas
shola forests
tropical forests
Western Ghats
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:We used Maxent to model the distribution of the Nilgiri marten ( ), a cryptic semi-arboreal mammal, with climate, forest, and human disturbance as covariates. We modelled the species niche, which identified suitable habitat across a variety of land uses and protection regimes. The findings point to a species niche defined by isolated, cold, and wet areas along the Western Ghats’ montane grasslands (shola) and adjoining wet forests. A sizable portion (62 %) of the total 8922 km niche area is multi-use, including tea, coffee, and timber plantations. Our findings emphasise the importance of conservation in non-protected areas adjacent to reserves in order to sustain this endemic species.
ISSN:0025-1461
1864-1547
DOI:10.1515/mammalia-2021-0113