When squirrel expert John Koprowski first saw a Malabar giant squirrel, also known as the Indian giant squirrel, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
When he visited India, John thought, the animal looked more like a primate than a squirrel.
But the Malabar giant squirrel’s size is not the only thing that impresses. Its coat color is also unique – See the amazing collection below:
“These are giants!” Koprowski said professor and associate director at the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Arizona.
In fact, it is just a huge squirrel, almost twice the size of the eastern grey squirrel and different from the usual squirrels.
They can be a variety of colors, such as black, brown, orange, maroon, and purple.
Maroon and purple are really unusual in mammals, which makes them even more special.
These bright colors and beautiful patterns are beautiful to look at and help them survive in the wild.
“In the shade of a dense forest, patchy colors and dark hues are great adaptations to avoid detection,” said Koprowski.
“But when you see these in sunlight, they show their ‘real colors’ and gorgeous plumage [fur].”
According to Wikipedia, their diet consisted of fruits, flowers, nuts, and bark. Some subspecies are omnivorous, also eating insects and bird eggs. ‘
The Malabar giant squirrel rarely goes to the ground and lives high up in the forest canopy, jumping and leaping from tree to tree, sometimes jumping more than 20 feet!
Thankfully, these beautiful creatures are not currently endangered, but they will need protection.
The chances of seeing one of these animals in the wild are slim.
Not only do you have to go to eastern or southern India, but you also have to go deep into the forests.
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