Bengaluru, Karnataka Aug 25, 2022 (Issuewire.com) - Squirrels live in locations around the world and are represented by hundreds of species, but few can compare with the Indian giant squirrel. A voice for India’s wildlife population, Nature inFocus recently introduced the world to one of the country’s residents, the Indian giant squirrel.
Attaining lengths of up to 100 cm long (3.28 ft.) from nose to tail tip and weighing up to four pounds, the squirrel’s size is impressive in itself. What really distinguishes the squirrel from others is its unique coloring. The Indian giant squirrel is a multi-colored wonder, sporting a coat featuring cream, black, and reddish-brown.
The squirrel made headlines when photographer, Kaushik Vijayan, captured images of the squirrel and they went viral. Many around the world immediately dubbed the animal the “technicolor squirrel.” Its distinctive coloring helps it hide from predators, emulating patterns of light and shade. The squirrel can jump up to 20 feet to elude predators that including lion-tailed macaques, crested serpent eagles, and leopards.
Also known as the Malabar giant squirrel, the rodent is unique in another way. Instead of storing food underground like many other squirrel species, the Indian giant squirrel stores caches of food high in the treetops of tropical, evergreen, and semi-evergreen forests where it lives. It feeds on fruit, seeds, bark, and flowers and is important for seed dispersal.
The species is native to India and distributed in the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, the Satpura Range in Satpura National Park, and as far north as Madhya Pradesh. The Indian giant squirrel was identified as a vulnerable species in 1996 by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss from agriculture and construction projects.
The numbers of Indian giant squirrels have stabilized, but they can easily become vulnerable again. A study of the squirrels in the Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary disclosed that current sanctuary practices are causing damage to the squirrels’ nesting sites and food resources, making it critical that conservation measures be taken.
About Nature inFocus
Nature inFocus is an inclusive and ardent voice for natural world storytellers. As one of the largest communities of wildlife photographers, filmmakers, conservationists, and nature travel enthusiasts, we believe that awareness is the first step towards meaningful change. Nature inFocus is a photo-led exploration into India’s wilderness and a definitive platform for sharing stories and photography that enables relevant knowledge-sharing and curation for everything in nature. The Nature inFocus platform amplifies the efforts of organizations working in the space of wildlife and environmental conservation to bring people closer to causes. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
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