Population Density, Diurnal Activity Pattern and Food Preference of Indian Giant SquirrelRatufa indicain Similipal Tiger Reserve, Eastern India

Abstract

The Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) is a large arboreal tropical squirrel endemic to India and lives in undulating or hilly terrain (Prater 1980). The species is distributed in all Indian states south of Madhya Pradesh, currently listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List and believed that the species is declining due to logging and habitat fragmentation (Rajamani et al. 2010). Despite its wide distribution in India, the species has received very little scientific attention. Ramachandran (1988) and Borges (1989, 1992, 1993) provided the in­ formation on behavior and the foraging ecology of the species in southern India. Datta (1993) and Datta and Goyal (1996) investigated the space use pattern of the Indian giant squirrel in relation to food availability in Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh, India. Since last decade, there have been some studies on its population and behavioral ecology in India. Kumara and Singh (2006) assessed the distribution and relative abundance of Indian giant squirrel in Karnataka, southern India. Jathana et al. (2008) estimated the density of Indian giant squirrel using distance sampling in south India. Sim­ ilarly, Srinivas et al. (2008) estimated the site occupancy rate in Kalakad­Munduthurai Tiger Reserve, southern India. In central India, Kanoje (2008) investigated the nesting ecology of Indian giant squirrel in Sitanadi Wild­ life Sanctuary, Chhatisgarh. Most recently, there are a few studies on its population distribution, ecology and behavior (Baskaran et al. 2011; Gurjar et al. 2013). Site specific published data on population density, food and feeding, activity pattern, and their implications are essen­ tial for conservation planning of any wildlife animals and species like Indian giant squirrel which is highly sensitive to human disturbance (Rajamani et al. 2010). Nevertheless, the vital data are still lacking for most ranges of Indian giant squirrel, and specifically in east­ ern India ranges. This study comprehensively documents the population density, activity pattern and diet of free­ ranging Indian giant squirrel in the tropical forest of Similipal Tiger Reserve, eastern India.