Squirrel to Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary, Southern Western Ghats, India – G.Vanaraj
The Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura, endemic to the Western Ghats Southern India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) and Sri Lanka, is the smallest of all the giant squirrels. There are three sub-species of the Grizzled giant squirrels of which only R. m. dandolena is found in India. The species’ gets its name from the coloration of their tails. The dorsal surface of the tail is grey or brownish-grey with distinct white highlights that give the fur a grizzled appearance (Prater, 1971). The size and coloration of the rest of the body varies greatly by locality (Blanford, 1888-91). The squirrels have a body length of 25-45 cm with a tail of a similar length, and weigh between 1-1.7 kilograms. The body colour varies between shades of brown, red, grey and black, but the ventral side is always lighter. The squirrels have broad forepaws with large, powerful claws that are well adapted for gripping and climbing trees. Grizzled giant squirrels are arboreal and diurnal in nature, and confined to the riverine habitats of tropical, dry deciduous and montane forests (Molur et al., 2005 cited in IUCN Red List, 2011). The squirrels are found between elevations of 150-500 a.m.s.l. in India and up to 2,500 a.m.s.l. in Sri Lanka. Although the species occurs more widely in Sri Lanka, its distribution is only known from four severely fragmented locations in India (Molur et al. 2005 cited in IUCN Red List 2011). According to the IUCN Red List (2011) the population of the squirrels has declined at a rate greater than 30% in the past 25 years due to habitat loss and hunting, and India currently has a population of less than 500 mature individuals.
The species is listed as Near Threatened under the IUCN Red List (2011) but nearly qualifies as Threatened under criterion A2c of the list. The meagre populations of the squirrels in India are significantly more threatened than populations in Sri Lanka and have been afforded protection under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972). Giant squirrels are also listed under Appendix II of CITES. The species is primarily threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to agro-industry farming, small-scale logging, increase in human settlements, forest fires, inter-specific competition, competition from alien species, hunting for local consumption, and the presence of domestic predators (Molur et al., 2005). Hybridization with the Indian giant squirrel Ratufa indica has also been considered to be a major threat to the Grizzled giant squirrels in India (Joshua, 1996 cited in IUCN Red List, 2011).