The Yellow-Throated Marten (Martes flavigula) is a mammal. It is also known as the Kharza.

The Yellow-Throated Marten has black, white, brown, and golden-yellow short fur. The top of its head is blackish-brown, and its cheeks are red-brown with white hair tips. Its sides and belly are bright yellow, while its chest and throat are golden-orange. Its chin and lower lips are white. Its front paws and lower front legs are pure black.

It is a muscular animal with an elongated body, small pointed head, a long neck, and a long tail. Its tail is not very bushy. It has short and strong legs, and the soles of its feet are covered in coarse, flexible hairs. Its ears are large.

It measures about 70 centimetres (27.5 inches) in length. Its tail is more than half its body length.

The Yellow-Throated Marten is native to Asia, in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Himalayas, India, Nepal, Korea, China and eastern Russia. In south Asia, it is found in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Malay Peninsula. It prefers forests.

It is diurnal, active during the day.

It is omnivorous, eating birds, bird eggs, snakes, fruit, rats, mice, rabbits, and even small deer. It hunts on the ground, but it can climb trees. It usually hunts in pairs or small packs. It has an unpleasant smell, which deters animals from eating it. However, Black Bears and Siberian Tigers like to eat Yellow-Throated Martens.

It can jump from branch to branch, with jumps of about 8 metres. It is territorial, patrolling its territory.

The female Yellow-Throated Marten is pregnant for 7.5 to 9.5 months before giving birth to 2-3 live young, called kits.

[Location of photographs: Paris Zoo, France]

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM