Grizzled Giant Squirrel

Ratufa macroura

The Grizzled Giant Squirrel is a threatened species that is found in only a few spots of India and Sri Lanka. There are three different subspecies, and as a whole they are the smallest of the Indian Giant Squirrels.

Grizzled Giant Squirrels are named for the white flecks of hair that cover their greyish-brown bodies, giving them a grizzled look. They also have very long tails that can constitute over half their total body length, and small round ears with tufts.

Though there are Squirrels that live on the ground (I'm looking at you Marmots), this particular species lives just about exclusively in the trees. Their long tails make them great jumpers, and they can leap as far as 6m between trees! Grizzled Giant Squirrels are very territorial, and usually live alone or in pairs. They forage during the daytime, searching for fruits, nuts, insects, and even bird eggs. Pairs produce one little a year, number 1-2 offpsring.

Unfortunately, the Grizzled Giant Squirrels is listed as Near Threatened. They are hunted by humans for meat and fur, and habitat degradation has made them either lose their homes entirely, or live in thinned out forests where they are easier to spot by avian predators. They are protected in a few places, most notably the Shenbagathope Grizzled Squirrel Sanctuary in Southern India.

---

IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : India, Sri Lanka
Size :  Total length up to 35in (90cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Rodentia
Family : Sciuridae -- Genus : Ratufa -- Species : R. macroura