This squirrel is also called Malabar giant squirrel. It is the largest species of tree squirrel in India.
The size of this squirrel ranges from 25.4-45.7 cm and they weigh between
1.5-2 kg
They are found in various states of India e.g Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.
They live on trees and are omnivorous . They are shy in nature which makes it difficult to spot them in wild.
Their mating starts in the month of October to January.
Their gestation period is of 21-25 days
Life span can be short in the wild but maximum captive life span was found to be 20 years.
What do they eat?
Since they are omnivorous. They feed on fruits, nuts, flower, insects, birds egg.
They make their shelter in trees and sometimes move from one tree to another.
They eat by standing on two feet and using 2 hands and also using tail to balance their body.
They spread the seeds they eat, which helps in afforestation.
These are solitary animals who come together mostly at the time of breeding.
