How preserving forests could save the Indian giant squirrel

How preserving forests could save the Indian giant squirrel

Subject: Environment

Giant Squirrel species in India-

• Among the four global giant squirrels, three are found in India
  • the Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica),
  • the black giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) and
  • the grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura).
• Of these, only the IGS (or the Malabar giant squirrel) is endemic to India.
• The mammal can exhibit different colour patterns with shades of black, brown and deep red being the most predominant.
• The IGS shares a characteristic of rodents: nibbling

Habitat-

• The Indian giant squirrel (IGS) was found in the deciduous, mixed deciduous or moist evergreen forests of India.
• It can be found across the Western Ghats, parts of the Eastern Ghats and the Satpura ranges.
• It is also the state animal of Maharashtra, where it is called shekru in Marathi.

Conservation status-

• Currently listed in the Least Concern category of the IUCN Red List.

Food-

• It primarily feeds on fruits, flowers, seeds, leaves, bark, and occasionally on insects and bird eggs.

Role in the ecosystem-

• It is an indicator species, indicative of a healthy forest
• balancing the forest’s ecological systems
• Seed dispersal
• Forest growth
• Indirectly supports the local wildlife population
• Reducing the human-wildlife conflict indirectly

Challenges and threats

• Being an arboreal species, the IGS needs access to a wide area of trees offering fruits, insects and barks as well as breeding opportunities.
• Habitat destruction,
• Habitat alteration like fragmentation,
• the building of roads and laying of power lines, and
• cutting of old and tall trees.
• Roadkill by the vehicles
• Poaching, especially in the Eastern Ghats