The yellow-throated marten, known for its omnivorous diet and group hunting tactics, has been observed attempting to prey on larger animals like the Reeves's muntjac, earning it the nickname "muntjac tiger". Recently, conservation officer Ho Chang-ying witnessed a yellow-throated marten trying to hunt a Mikado pheasant, although it was unsuccessful. This encounter was particularly surprising for Ho, who has been working in the area for 21 years.
Yushan National Park is renowned for its rich biodiversity. Last December, researchers recorded a pair of yellow-throated martens mating in the wild for the first time in the Tataka area. More recently, Ho captured footage of a marten attempting to hunt a Mikado pheasant. Ho noted that while he often sees martens chasing Reeves's muntjacs, this was his first time observing them targeting a pheasant. The hunt was challenging for the marten, and Ho found the experience both surprising and exhilarating.
During the incident, Ho observed a male and female Mikado pheasant foraging on the forest floor. The male suddenly stretched its neck and emitted a warning call, seemingly sensing something unusual behind it. Turning around, Ho spotted a collared yellow-throated marten rapidly approaching from a distance. The pheasants quickly fled, with the male jumping into a tree for safety and the female escaping down a valley. The marten was left frustrated, unable to pursue its prey further.
The Yushan National Park management noted that much remains unknown about the yellow-throated marten's breeding habits, including how they raise their young and their mating relationships. Through ongoing ecological surveys and fieldwork, it has been observed that these martens tend to form male alliances. An ongoing project from 2023 to 2026 aims to monitor the martens' breeding and rearing habits in the Tataka area. This includes studying their mating behaviors, reproductive seasons, and social structures, as well as analyzing genetic relationships to understand their community dynamics and mating systems. The project has already captured Taiwan's first recorded footage of yellow-throated martens mating, with further research planned to continue accumulating data on their life history.
