Meet The Malabar Giant Squirrel, The World Largest Squirrel With So Much Color You Won't Believe Your Eyes At First

"The patchy colors and dark hues are a great adaptation to avoiding detection"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• July 19, 2023

When most people think of squirrels, they probably imagine a little rodent that is notorious for stealing birdfeeder seeds instead of an exotic animal. Anyone who loves birds understands how unpleasant squirrels can be.

They frequently wander about your yard, helping themselves to whatever they come upon. The majority of birders find something about their general presence annoying.

Although they are adorable, we still can't negate the fact that they can be annoying. So yes, squirrels do receive a bad representation as they steal from bird feeders.

Almost everything may be chewed through by them, and they even dart in front of moving vehicles. But this sometimes-referred-to "nuisance" mammal has a lot to offer while occasionally being bothersome for people.

They all have a similar appearance and are frequently seen by North Americans, despite having different colors, such as grey, black, or American red. Squirrel sightings in the deep Indian forest, however, present a drastically different aspect, maybe even seeming surreal.

The Malabar squirrel, also known as the Indian giant squirrel, is the biggest squirrel in the world and is found in the woods of India. These endearing critters make a distinctive and uncommon sight with their rainbow coats.

In fact, due to their elusiveness, Malabar squirrel expert John Koprowski initially thought he had discovered a new species of monkey when he came across one in 2006.

In the deep Indian forest, squirrel sightings offer a strikingly dissimilar appearance

“In the shaded understory of a dense forest, the patchy colors and dark hues are a great adaptation to avoiding detection,” squirrel expert John Koprowski said. “But when you see these in the sunlight, they show their ‘true colors’ and beautiful pelage.”

The Indian forests are home to the Malabar squirrel, or Indian giant squirrel, which is the world’s largest squirrel

The Malabar squirrel is a distinctive subspecies of the common backyard squirrel that is quite different from it.

These charming creatures, with their multicolored coats, present a unique and rare sight

In contrast, these squirrels are enormous, measuring up to 36 inches from head to tail and having a body size that is double that of a typical squirrel. However, what sets them apart is not their size but rather their gorgeous coat.

These squirrels are giant in comparison, with a body size twice that of the common squirrel

They have the best concealment against natural predators thanks to the stunning combination of colors in their fur, which includes shades of purple, black, brown, and even orange. Despite not having chosen it, the Malabar giant squirrel's colorful coat acts as a natural defense.

Their fur is a breathtaking combination of purple, black, brown, and even orange, providing them with the best camouflage

Everyone, watch the Malabar squirrel in the video below!

Prof. Koprowski thinks that these multicolored giants may actually be a kind of ancient squirrel.

“They’re part of a group of squirrels that is pretty ancient,” he said. “They’re a unique evolutionary group that’s been here a long time, which is a good thing.”

Drop your thoughts about this squirrel in the comments section below.

Maryjane