A Visual Spectacle On The Tree Tops | Evolve Back

“She looked stunning,
High up on the tree galloping ;
Deep red, long bushy tail,
Rat like face,
Next moment sitting pretty with grace;
Ah lovely creature of fame,
I spotted that solitary Dame!”

As I sat savouring my neer dosa at 'Plantain Leaf', fine dining restaurant at Evolve Back Coorg Resort, I heard a distinctive sound, ‘click click’ from a nearby Jackfruit tree. I jumped in delight, as I felt I am finally going to witness a sight I have been dreaming of since the day I have arrived in Coorg. And yes, I did! Scarlet, shy, beautiful, she was absolutely still on the top branch - my first rendezvous with the Malabar Giant Squirrel!
I think I disturbed her, hence she was very cautious and not moving at all. Maybe she was watching me carefully. I could see her long tail hanging downwards from the branch. I was told by naturalists, their long tail helps them in maintaining balance. I was standing still under the tree watching her and she was lying still on the branch. This is how they protect themselves when they are startled or suspect danger. The resort is their habitat where they can be found gnawing on jackfruit trees, or chasing each other up and down the trees.

World’s Largest Squirrels

It is a matter of great pride that our country's wildlife is enriched by the largest squirrel species in the world. Scientifically known as Ratufa Indica, is a subspecies of the Indian Giant Squirrel, a mammal endemic to the forests of India. This subspecies can be found throughout Kerala and a few southern locations in southern Karnataka. Experts say, it’s family of subspecies range in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand. Belonging to the expansive family of squirrels, they proudly hold their turf among other elite tree-dwelling fellow counterparts, setting themselves apart from their clan of ground and flying squirrel varieties. Their size truly defines their towering identity. Anything upto one meter in length, it over shadows it's fellow cousins - the black giant squirrel and the grizzled giant squirrel.

The Scarlet Beauty

No doubt, these Giant Squirrels are one of the world’s most beautiful animals, having endowed with natural ensemble of multi-colored top and distinctive, flowing tail. Their stunning outfit, in alluring palette of hues, would pale out the designer stuff. From black and brown to vibrant reds, they look gorgeous. Their lower body parts are lighter in shade, more towards cream tone or off-white. Look at their distinguished tail and you would forget a peacock’s plume. This is the beauty of our native family member of the greens. Interestingly, their multi-colored appearance helps them to provide camouflage. The bright colors blend in with the contrasting colors along with rays of the sun peeping through the trees canopy.

How to Identify an Indian Giant Squirrel

Spotting an Indian giant squirrel definitely need a keen eye and lot of patience. Do not expect to spot immediately and they being very agile, can outsmart you. So focus for vibrant hues and distinctive patterns. There is slight variation in color tones. The rich fur with darker tones are seen in the south and more vivacious shades are found in Maharashtra and Central India. Besides their visually striking appearance, you cannot miss their rat-like face and, more notably, the long, bushy tail. That’s what set it apart.

Tree Dwelling Lifestyle

The Indian Giant Squirrel embraces an arboreal ie tree-dwelling lifestyle with grace and finesse. Their favourite working hours to reach their canopies is during the soft sunlight hours of dawn and dusk. How do they communicate? Well, that’s an Art as besides employing high-pitched calls, their tail movements help to convey messages within their intimate social circle. Territorial by nature, they construct multiple nests, called ‘dreys’ within their domain, providing a retreat during the day’s scorching heat. They are clever to hide the baby in one while other dreys are used as proxys to fool the predators. That's not enough. The protective intelligent mother keeps rotating the nursery nest to eliminate the chances of ectoparasites harming the baby. The breeding season is usually October and November around Southern Western Ghats. That's the time when female delivers a baby pup.
Omnivorous in nature, they have a penchant for feeding on some of the tropical fruits in the tree canopy. Thanks to their enlarged incisors, they thrive on nibbling fruits, leaves, flowers, nuts, insects, and even bird eggs. Their forelimbs help in gripping their food and roll them around while their teeth bite chunks out of it. All this while, the bushy tails are hung down the branch to help maintain balance while feeding. These tails appear like commas hooked on branches, an iconic sight to behold.

Habitat of Indian Giant Squirrel

Tropical dry and moist forests form their ecological habitat. Satpuras in Madhya Pradesh to the spectacular landscapes of Karnataka and Kerala, form their home turf. It is a delightful sight to see these giants gracefully navigate both deciduous and evergreen sanctuaries, leaving a significant impression on the diverse ecosystems.

Danger For Them?

Predators of the Malabar squirrel mainly include birds of prey – the black eagle, crested serpent eagle, crested hawk eagle, and brown fish owl – among the common ones, not to forget the danger from the Indian leopard and various snakes.

According to studies, they like dwelling in eucalyptus trees, maybe the trees' height helps in evading ground dwelling predators. Also the branches of eucalyptus trees provide more strength and stability, needed for nesting.

Ecological Significance of the Indian Giant Squirrel

It is not just their galloping around but it is their act of dispersing seeds which makes them play a crucial role in maintaining the diverse eco system. Their presence as gardeners and seed dispersal agents gives them an important role to contribute to the environment health of their habitat.

In order to keep the eco system healthy and forest fabric intact, it is important to take care of the well-being of these majestic creatures. Proactive conservation measures are desirable and imperative to ensure these majestic creatures’ sustained presence amidst India’s forests.

To Conclude

As I write this piece, how much I desire to get back to their habitat, capture glimpses of their boisterous life, as I can already visualize a lone one gnawing cautiously her meal of the day and then lazying on her favourite canopy while the other branch is the hub of a young pair chasing one another. My world will come to a standstill the moment I will hear 'click click'. And that will be the story for another day !

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