Malabar giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) - Bandipur National Park

From the archive record

Malabar giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) jump from tree to tree at Bandipur National Park, Karnataka. The Indian giant squirrel, or Malabar giant squirrel, (Ratufa indica) is a large tree squirrel species genus Ratufa native to India. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel found in South Asia. It is called 'Shekru' in Marathi and is state animal of Maharashtra. The Ratufa indica has a conspicuous two-toned (and sometimes three-toned) color scheme. The colors involved can be creamy-beige, buff, tan, rust, brown, or even a dark seal brown. The underparts and the front legs are usually cream colored, the head can be brown or beige, however there is a distinctive white spot between the ears. Adult head and body length varies around 14 inches (36 cm) and the tail length