In 2006, squirrel expert John Koprowsk visited India and first saw a Malabar giant squirrel. They also known as an Indian giant squirrel and he couldn’t believe his eyes.
He thought that the animal looked too big to be a squirrel — more like a primate. However, this giant animal was no primate – just a very, very large squirrel. They are two times the size of an eastern grey squirrel and bodies that span 36 inches from head to tail.
Not only is the Malabar giant squirrel impressively large, but they have beautifully colored fur as well. It can be black, brown and orange, as well as maroon and purple. The maroon and purple shades, in particular, are unusual in mammals. The bright colors and beautiful patterns aren’t just pretty to look at, but it also helps them survive in the wild.
According to Wikipedia, their diet includes fruit, flowers, nuts and tree bark. Some subspecies are omnivorous, also eating insects and bird eggs.
They are pretty shy, so the best way to see these giant squirrels is to climb up on a tree, stay very quiet and wait for them to emerge from their nest.
Thankfully, these gorgeous critters aren’t currently in danger of extinction, but they’ll need to be protected. If more awareness and protection are brought about for this species, then they can thrive in the future.
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h/t: Animal Channel
