I see them daily on my terrace – they are beautiful and extremely energetic. Squirrel, (family Sciuridae), generally, any of the 50 genera and 268 species of rodents whose common name is derived from the Greek skiouros, meaning “shade tail,” which describes one of the most conspicuous and recognizable features of these small mammals. These distinctive animals occupy a range of ecological niches worldwide virtually anywhere there is vegetation.
During my recent trip to holy Thirumala Thirupathi saw this giant squirrel. The Indian giant squirrel or Malabar giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) is a large multi-coloured tree squirrel species endemic to forests and woodlands in India. It is a diurnal, arboreal, and mainly herbivorous squirrel.
Photos taken by me (see the middle of the photo for the brown squirrel !)
With regards – S Sampathkumar
3.11.2023