By James Justice
Geographic Range
The distribution of Ratufa indica is restricted to peninsular India. With increasing deforestation in the region, the geographic range of R. indica continues to decrease (Nowak 1999).
Habitat
Ratufa indica is arboreal, spending most of its time in trees. It makes its shelter within holes in trees. Moving from tree to tree, R. indica can leap 6 meters or more. Giant squirrels rarely leave the trees, usually only to chase other squirrels during the breeding season. Giant squirrels are found primarily in moist tropical forests (Nowak 1999).
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical 
; terrestrial .
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest ; rainforest .
Physical Description
(6.6 lbs; avg. lbs)
(10 to 17.99 in; avg. 14 in)
Ratufa indica has dorsal coloration that varies from deep red to brown, the ventral fur is white. They have short, round ears, a broadened hand with an expanded inner paw for gripping, and large, powerful claws used for gripping tree bark and branches. Females can be distinguished from males by their three sets of mammae. Total body length varies from 254 to 457 mm and tail length is approximately the same as body length. These squirrels weigh approximately 1.5 to 2 kg (Nowak 1999).
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
Little is known of mating behavior in R. indica. Males actively compete for females during the breeding season and pairs may remain associated for longer periods of time (Nowak, 1999).
Reproductive behavior of R. indica is poorly known. There is some evidence that breeding occurs throughout the year, or several times during the year. Litter size is usually 1 or 2 young, but may be as many as 3. Gestation period in a close relative, Ratufa bicolor, was recorded to be 28 to 35 days in length.
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous .
Ratufa indica build eagle-sized nests in the branches of trees and raise the young there until they begin to emerge from the nest and gain independence (Borges, 1992; Nowak, 1999).
Parental investment:
altricial ; female parental care .
Lifespan/Longevity
One captive R. indica lived to be 20 years old, longevity in the wild is unknown.
Behavior
Giant squirrels are typically solitary animals, being seen only rarely in pairs during the breeding season. They are wary animals and usually keep well hidden in vegetation. They are most active during the day (Nowak, 1999). Giant squirrels have small home ranges (G. Umapathy, 2000).
Key behaviors:
motile ; sedentary ; solitary ; territorial .
Food Habits
Giant squirrels spend most of their time in trees, where they gather their food. Giant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects. They feed by standing on the hind legs and using their hands to handle food. Giant squirrels also uses their large tail as a counter-weight, improving their balance (Nowak 1999).
Primary Diet:
omnivore .
Animal Foods:
eggs; insects.
Plant Foods:
wood, bark, or stems; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit; flowers.
Predation
- cats (Felidae)
- civet cats (Viverridae)
- raptors (Falconiformes)
- snakes (Serpentes)
Giant squirrels escape predation primarily by seeking refuge in the trees and through their agility and wariness. It is likely that they are preyed upon by many medium and large-sized predators, such as cats, civet cats, raptors, and snakes.
Ecosystem Roles
Ratufa indica disperses the seeds of the plants that they consume as they defecate (Borges 1992).
Key ways these animals impact their ecosystem:
disperses seeds.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Giant squirrels can do some damage to crops by eating seed, they can also compete with poultry by eating their feed (Katoch 1945).
Ways that these animals might be a problem for humans:
crop pest.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Vulnerable.
US Migratory Bird Act: [link]:
No special status.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
Appendix II.
Due to deforestation, the already limited habitat of R. indica is being reduced. Agencies such as the IUCN and CITES have acted to reduce their chance of extinction and any habitat further fragmentation (Nowak 1999).
For More Information
Find Ratufa indica information at
Contributors
James Justice (author), University of Northern Iowa.
Jim Demastes (editor), University of Northern Iowa.
