Overview
The Malabar Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica), affectionately termed the Indian giant squirrel or Shekru in Marathi, is a dazzling arboreal rodent endemic to the tropical forests of peninsular India. Renowned for its spectacular multi-hued fur and dramatic leaps across upper rainforest canopies, this colossal squirrel is an essential seed disperser, symbolizing the rich biodiversity of India’s Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
Biology and Physical Characteristics
With an overall length reaching nearly three feet from nose to tail tip, Ratufa indica dwarfs ordinary squirrels. Its pelage displays an extraordinary color palette: rich deep maroon and rust on the back, glossy black or deep indigo shoulders, creamy beige cheeks and underbelly, and rounded ears tipped with expressive fur tufts. Its immense, heavy bushy tail provides balance as it maneuvers along high branches and functions as a counterweight during twenty-foot leaps between tree crowns.
Behavior and Ecology
Strictly diurnal and almost entirely arboreal, the Malabar giant squirrel rarely descends to the forest floor, where it is vulnerable to ground predators. It constructs multiple large, spherical globular nests (dreys) made of twigs and fresh leaves woven high among emergent tree branches, using one for breeding and others for resting. It communicates with resonant, bird-like chattering calls that echo through the forest canopy when detecting danger, such as a crowned eagle or leopard.
Conservation and Human Impact
Evaluated as Least Concern by the IUCN, Ratufa indica remains widespread across protected wildlife sanctuaries such as Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Mudumalai National Park, and Periyar Tiger Reserve. However, canopy fragmentation from highway construction, tea plantations, and power lines hinders arboreal connectivity, occasionally forcing squirrels to cross open ground. Community-led canopy rope bridges and corridor preservation are ensuring healthy gene flow.
Interesting Factoid
To evade airborne raptors like the black eagle, the Malabar giant squirrel does not flee; instead, it flattens its vibrant body entirely flush against tree bark, remaining completely immobile to mimic an overgrown mossy tree burl.
Last updated: October 2026