Martre de l'Inde du Sud

Although Nilgiri Marten is not often observed, there is a good understanding of general levels and trends in habitat and hunting across its range. On this basis, the only predictable threats are habitat conversion (for large development projects like roads and dams), persecution in retribution for its destruction of bees-box contents (particularly in Kodagu) and, potentially, increase in tourism. After sustained large-scale deforestation within Nilgiri Marten range around a century ago, rates have slowed considerably in recent decades. Large development projects have been destroying some habitat, and fragmenting what remains, at low rates for the last three generations (21 years); these rates are not expected to rise significantly in the next 21 years. With increasingly effective legal protection, hunting currently is not a major issue for the survival of the species in most of its range. This hunting was largely an attempt to reduce the loss of bees-box contents (and consequent honey production); a few decades ago, there were even bounties paid for destruction of the species. This is no longer the case and rates have dropped, even in Kodagu in the north of the species' range, where (mostly through shooting with guns) persecution is most intense (D. Jathanna pers. comm. 2014, D. Mudappa pers. comm. 2014).

Nilgiri Marten is listed in Schedule II part II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and has been placed on Appendix III of CITES by India.

This species occurs in many protected areas and Reserved Forests (RFs), including (south to north): Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (TR), Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Neyyar WLS, Gavi range of Ranni Forest Division (FD), Periyar TR, Srivilliputtur WLS, High Wavy Mountains, Pambadumshola National Park (NP), Palni hills, Eravikulam NP, Anamalai TR - Grass Hills NP, Valparai plateau, Chinnar WLS, Nelliampathy RF, Attapadi RF, Muthikkulam RF, Nilambur South RF, Silent Valley NP, Mukurthi NP - Upper Bhavani, Naduvattam RF-Nilgiris, Brahmagiri WLS, Kerti RF, Padinalknad RF, Talakaveri WLS, Pattighat RF, Pushpagiri WLS, Bisle RF and Charmadi-Kanapadi RF (Hutton 1949a,b; Karanth 1985; Schreiber et al. 1989; Madhusudan 1995; Yoganand and Kumar 1995; Christopher and Jayson 1996; Gokula and Ramachandran 1996; Kurup and Joseph 2001; Mudappa 2001, 2002; Balakrishnan 2005; Kumara and Singh 2007; Mudappa et al. 2007; Krishna and Karnad 2010; Anoop 2013; D. Jathanna pers. comm. 2014; H. N. Kumara pers. comm. 2014; N. Jain pers. comm. 2014; M. Balasubramaniam pers. comm. 2014; R. Vijayan pers. comm. 2014; K. J. Varkey pers. comm. 2014; V. Ramachandran pers. comm. 2014; R. Nayak pers. comm. 2014; S. Chirukandoth pers. comm. 2014; G. Mehra pers. comm. 2014; N. A. Naseer pers. comm. 2014; D. Jathanna pers. comm. 2014). There are also records from Sholayar (Vijayan 1979), Parambikulam TR (Sreehari and Nameer 2013) and Vazhachal RF (D. Mudappa pers. comm. 2014). These protected areas and reserved forests adequately cover the distributional range of the species and conserve it effectively.

Schreiber et al. (1989) recommended field surveys to locate remaining populations and determine if existing reserves give adequate protection. A systematic survey following this recommendation found that although poaching is infrequent in protected areas, measures to regulate hunting outside these areas are ineffective, especially in lowland forests (Balakrishnan 2005). With the recent number of incidental records clarifying current range, the more important need now is for ecological study of the species, particularly to clarify the factors behind the generally low sighting rate. This would greatly help in planning conservation action for the species, if indeed any is needed.