| Grizzled Giant Squirrel | |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Sciuridae |
| Genus: | Ratufa |
| Species: | R. macroura |
| Binomial name | |
| Ratufa macroura (Pennant, 1769) |
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Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) is a large species of squirrel found in Sri Lanka and in the forests of southern India. The species is found in patches of riverine forest along the Kaveri River in south India, in hill forests towards the southern tip of peninsular India and in parts of Sri Lanka. The name of one of the Sri Lankan races is R. macroura dandolena from the Sinhalese name of dandolena. The IUCN lists the species as near threatened due to habitat loss and hunting.
Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu, India.
With a head and body length of 25-45 cm (the tail is about the same or more) it is the smallest of the giant squirrels found in India. It has small rounded ears with tufts visible.
In Sri Lanka, this squirrel is known by the Sinhalese term dhandu laena (where laena means squirrel).
References
- ^ Joshua, J., de A. Goonatilake, W. I. L. D. P. T. S. & Molur, S. (2008). Ratufa macroura. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 6 January 2009.
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura)
- Ratufa macroura (TSN 632413). Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- Animal Diversity Web
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