Indian Giant Squirrel
The Indian giant squirrel, also called the Malabar giant squirrel (ratufa indica), is a large tree squirrel species native to India. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel. Adult head and body length varies from around 14 inches (36 cm) and the tail length is approximately 2 ft (0.61 m). Adult weight is about 2 kg (4.41 lb). It is an upper-canopy dwelling species, which rarely leaves the trees, and requires profusely branched trees for the construction of nests. It travels from tree to tree with jumps of up to 20 ft (6 m). Its main predators are birds of prey and the leopard. The Giant Squirrel is mostly active in the early hours of the morning and in the evening, resting in the midday. It is a shy, wary animal and not easy to discover. It occupies isolated ranges that are widely separated from each other, thus producing conditions favorable for speciation. The squirrels found within each of these isolated ranges share distinctive color schemes, making it easy to identify which region a particular squirrel is from, as well as leading to the controversy as to whether these different color schemed subspecies ought to be considered as unique species. Clicked in the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary.
Source: Wikipedia
Indian Giant Squirrel
The Indian giant squirrel, also called the Malabar giant squirrel (ratufa indica), is a large tree squirrel species native to India. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel. Adult head and body length varies from around 14 inches (36 cm) and the tail length is approximately 2 ft (0.61 m). Adult weight is about 2 kg (4.41 lb). It is an upper-canopy dwelling species, which rarely leaves the trees, and requires profusely branched trees for the construction of nests. It travels from tree to tree with jumps of up to 20 ft (6 m). Its main predators are birds of prey and the leopard. The Giant Squirrel is mostly active in the early hours of the morning and in the evening, resting in the midday. It is a shy, wary animal and not easy to discover. It occupies isolated ranges that are widely separated from each other, thus producing conditions favorable for speciation. The squirrels found within each of these isolated ranges share distinctive color schemes, making it easy to identify which region a particular squirrel is from, as well as leading to the controversy as to whether these different color schemed subspecies ought to be considered as unique species. Clicked in the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary.
Source: Wikipedia