Indian giant squirrel

The Indian giant squirrel, also called the Malabar giant squirrel, is one of the largest squirrels in the world and lives only in India. It is a colourful tree squirrel that is active by day, spends its time in the branches and mostly eats plants.

Its head and body are 25 to 50 centimetres long, and the tail is the same length or longer. It weighs about 1.5 to 2 kilograms. It lives in forests of the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats and the Satpura Range. It is the state animal of Maharashtra, and its fur can be maroon, cream, buff or black.

A treetop home

The squirrel is found from 180 to 2,300 metres above sea level in tropical dry, semi-evergreen and moist evergreen forests. Because it dislikes damaged forest, its range is broken into patches. To stay safe from predators it builds its nest in tall trees, on average about 11 metres high. The globe card adds that it can leap more than 6 metres between trees.

Colours and subspecies

Its colours vary: one, two or three tones of white, cream, buff, rust, maroon, brown or black. The belly and front legs are usually cream, and a distinct white spot sits between the ears. Ten subspecies have been described, but experts now usually recognise four. The form of the northern and central Western Ghats has a rich maroon back and a pale tail tip.

On the globe

Look in the forests of the Western Ghats in India; the card shows its maroon, cream and black fur.