Featured Animal: Indian Palm Squirrel

Indian Palm Squirrels are also known as the 3 stripe squirrel due to the mix of dark and white stripes on the back of the Indian palm squirrel. The Indian palm squirrel can be found nesting in the tree tops of exotic trees.

The Indian palm squirrel is only naturally found in parts of India and Sri Lanka. Recent accidental introduction of the Indian palm squirrel into western Australia has made them a pest as the Indian palm squirrel has no real natural predators which has made the population of Indian palm squirrels in Australia thrive.

The Indian palm squirrel naturally hunts for small mammals, birds and insects but the Indian palm squirrel has caused problems in recent years as the Indian palm squirrel has taken to eating crops.
An Indian palm squirrel only weighs around 100g making the squirrel easy prey for small meat-eating mammals and birds. The Indian palm squirrel has often been reported going into peoples houses and the Indian palm squirrel can often be seen running up and down trees and houses.

Unlike other species of squirrel, the Indian palm squirrel does not hibernate in winter but instead the Indian palm squirrels will only emerge from the warmth of their nests during the afternoon on sunny days.

Indian palm squirrels create nests made up from grass and it is in the these nests that Indian palm squirrels give birth to and wean their young. Typically Indian palm squirrels give birth to 2 or 3 baby Indian palm squirrels which are weaned by the mother Indian palm squirrel until the baby Indian palm squirrel is around 10 weeks old.