Northern Black Giant Squirrel

About this species

Size

Head and body 34–37cm; tail 41–42cm

Weight

1.05–1.25kg

Diet

Seeds, pine cones, fruit and leaves

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical broadleaf and coniferous forest, from sea level to at least 2,500m

Range

North-east India, Sikkim and north Bengal, with the wider species ranging from Bangladesh and Nepal to Southeast Asia

Litter size

1–2 young

The northern black giant squirrel is the mainland form of the black giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor in the broad sense), one of the largest squirrels in the world. It is deep brown to black above and light buff below, and is diurnal and arboreal. The Wikipedia account covers the species in its wider sense and notes that ten subspecies are recognised and that it may represent several similar species, so figures here are for the group as a whole (Wikipedia, general species account).

In South Asia it favours tropical and subtropical broadleaf and coniferous forest, living in Sikkim, north Bengal and the north-east, with Kaziranga in Assam a well-known place to see it. It feeds on seeds, pine cones, fruit and leaves, is solitary, rarely enters plantations or settlements, and occasionally comes to the ground. Females have one or two young per litter, raised in a tree drey. Indian records extend well above 1,400 m, and over a fifth of them are from 1,500 to 2,700 m (Wikipedia, general species account; Mongabay India).

Description: Wildlife of India guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)