Meera Bhardwaj @ Dandeli:
Malabar Giant Squirrels are commonly sighted in the lush forests of Western Ghats in Karnataka, India. Also known as the Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) – its population is declining due to loss of forest habitat and fragmentation. Thriving on dense tree canopies, these squirrels hardly ever come to the ground.
The Malabar Giant Squirrel was last assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 and has been listed as Least Concern as per this list. Further, the IUCN assessment information states, “The number of mature individuals is decreasing. This species is listed as Least Concern because of its wide distribution, presumed large population, occurrence in a number of protected areas, and it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.”
Very colourful, a fast moving rodent species and endemic to India, the Malabar Giant Squirrel are seen fleeting through the dense forest canopies of the Western Ghats. This species is also found in some parts of Eastern Ghats and the Satpura ranges.
The Malabar Giant Squirrel is a diurnal and arboreal species and occupies a high canopy. It occurs in tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests. The species is not tolerant of habitat degradation and does not occur in plantations.
Traversing across the Dandeli Wildlife Range, Joida taluk, Karnataka, we were lucky to sight this rodent species not once but many a time. This is a Schedule-II species (Part-II) under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. I found them hidden amidst the dense canopies but because of their bright coloured body, they became visible. They were busy crossing from branch to branch to feed and forage on fruits, nuts and seeds.
Located in the heart of Western Ghats biodiversity rich ecosystem, the Dandeli Sanctuary in Karnataka is a stronghold for the Malabar Giant Squirrel but also home to a varied range of species including rare and endemic species that are unique to this region.
However, without tall trees and of course, dense canopies, the Indian Giant Squirrels cannot thrive or survive. They live only on trees and scramble from tree to tree escaping raptors and other big predators.
Walking across the Dandeli Sanctuary in our forest trail walk, we could focus on this species only at a distance – almost 500-600 metres away. However, we were happy to see innumerable other flora and fauna (especially the ground species) that are endemic to the forests of Western Ghats and are not seen in other parts of the country.
Situated on the banks of River Kali, the Dandeli Sanctuary, with lush forests & tall trees and thick canopies, is an ideal habitat for Malabar Giant Squirrel. This cute, adorable rodent species was hanging on upside down and then sat straight on one of the fruit trees – happily nibbling away small fruits.
An arboreal species as well as highly acrobatic one, the Indian Giant Squirrel or the Malabar Giant Squirrel species is variedly coloured – differing from location to location.
In some states like Maharashtra, these Indian Giant Squirrels are differently coloured – ranging from deep brown to black to buff to navy blue forming a combination of coloured patterns. But the once we saw in Dandeli Sanctuary had only two colours deep brownish-red and buff coloured with touches of black on the edges.
The one at Dandeli Sanctuary, Karnataka that we sighted – its fur was reddish brown to buff coloured. Its tail was as long as its body and bushy. By the time, I could focus my camera, it played a cat and mouse game and scampered from one end of the branch to the other like a superfast express train.
The Malabar Giant Squirrel inhabits a habitat ranging from evergreen to moist deciduous to deciduous and forages not only on nuts, seeds, tree bark & fruits but also eggs of birds and insects. In fact, it is the bushy and long tail that helps them to hold on to the branches and maintain their balance on such long tall trees while feeding on food.
With the Malabar Giant Squirrel (Indian Giant Squirrel) already joining the IUCN Red List and its population declining, there is an urgent need for action to maintain “contiguity of forests” in the Western Ghats and avoid linear structures in its habitat.
However, successive governments in Karnataka have only concentrated on expansion of road, rail networks and expansion of powerlines, thereby fragmenting the ecologically fragile forests to no end.
Just like the Lion Tailed Macaques in the Sharavathi Valley LTM Sanctuary, this rodent species too needs canopy continuity in the Dandeli Sanctuary, otherwise, their survival too will become difficult in the days to come.
PHOTO CREDIT: ALL PHOTOS BY MEERA BHARDWAJ AT DANDELI, JOIDA TALUK, UTTAR KANNADA DISTRICT, KARNATAKA)