Indian giant squirrel or Malabar giant squirrel (Ratufa indica)
… a large tree squirrel native to India and Bangladesh. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel. Adult head and body length may be around 14 inches (36 cm) and the tail length is approx. 2 ft (0.61 m). Adult weight - 2 kg (4.41 lb).
This species is an upper-canopy dwelling species, which rarely leaves the trees, and requires “tall profusely branched trees for the construction of nests.” It travels from tree to tree with jumps of up to 6 m (20 ft). When in danger, Ratufa indica often freezes or flattens itself against the tree trunk, instead of fleeing. Its main predators are birds of prey and leopards. 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…
(read more: Wikipedia)
(photos: T - Rakesh Kumar Dogra; B - Chinmayisk)
