The lndian Giant Squirrel : %€s-*€<*$reS S*s..5===sSs=*iT By Prachi Mehta and Jayant Kulkarni !l * *, * fr Introduction the pale colored Ratufa indica bicolor from Dangs In 2010 while discussing with a group of farmers forests of Gujarat became extinct way back in 1970s about elephant visits in their village in Northern owingto the above reasons. Karnataka, my eyes caught some movement on the next Since giant squirrels are the mascots of undisturbed tree. A giant squirrel was inching its way up on an forests, their presence is indicative of the state of the Anogeissus latifulia (Dhawda) tree. Its chestnut coat and forests. Twenty years ago, Dr. Renee Borges and her buff tail were dazzling in the sun light giving it an exotic team had carried out an intensive assessment of the appearance. It is unusual to see the squirrel so close to giant squirrels from the Western Ghats of Maharashtra the village and so low a on tree, so I rushed to take the and Karnataka and highlighted several issues of photo. The group of farmers followed me and from their concerns for its survival in wild. ln 2012, using Dr. excited murmurs, I surmised that they too were Borges's survey as a baseline, we initiated a study on the admiring the beauty of the squirrel. giant squirrel to assess its status and changes in its After a while when the squirrel disappeared, I population in the area surveyed earlier and other turned ,,Shekru to talk to my fellow audience. atyant potential areas in Western Ghats of Maharashtra sundar Prani ahe. Tyla loka ni maralya nahi pahije, barabar na?" (Giantsquirrel is such a beautiful animal. Survey of Giant Squirrel in Western Ghats of People should not kill right?) promptly it, I got a Maharashtra (ZolZto 2 013) response from the crowd "Kaa, .tuhmi tyla khaat nahi Our study was carried out in forested areas of ka? (Why,don'tyou eatit?) Itwas then I understoodwhy Ahmednagar; Nashik, Thane, pune, Raigad, Satara, theywere so excited on seeingthe squirrell. Sangli, and Kolhapur districts. The entire study area Hunting of giant squirrel and loss of their habitat is a was divided in to one hundred eighty four [184) grids of prime thneat endearing their survival in the wild. Of the 20.28 km'. In each grid, we carried walked a transect five sub species of endemic Ratufa indica in the country, along the natural trail to estimate the abundance of urdrfrdrdf zorsEd rz we giant squirrels and their nests' Along the same ffails' cutting' Issessed the signs of disturbance such as tree poaching' A lopping, canopy opening, and evidence of a-.oif""i ,.poii on the siudy can be made available on request from our office. I'AHAR SHTRA valley in In Nashik district, the Sawarda and Vaitarna Tansa Sanctuary may have had squirrels three of the decades ago but now there are no records and species from ttre area becaue of loss of habitat 7. hunting. ' tlTlt J district, very few evidences of itEltfi In Ahemadnagar squirrel presence were obtained from northern such aieas in Harishchandragad Wildlife WLS' Areas in as Alang, Kulang, Ratanwadi, Ghatghar located Bhandardhara Range has tall trees but no squirrels' to Villagers from Ratanwadi, Thakurwadi admitted induige in opportunistic hunting of squirrels and othei wildlife. Tolar Khind, famran' Tale Vihir' Mahvasa, Virachi Rai, Kothale, Harishchandragad' signs of and Tarabaigad in Rajur Range had better giant squirrel presence' Declining abundance of it [irnt ,qri.rel irom HKS is a serious issue as f"p."r".rt, the northernmost population in the Western Ghats. Leqend district, squirrels were not encountered l--l $tate soundr.v . In Thane and Kalyan Ranges' l---l gbtrict aau$d*ry from Badlapu4 Mandvi, Murbad frreEletn Gfiat Baul&ry D areghat' Forests on ih" hillt of Tokwade, N agjhurim I Fra*c{u*1t"" areas have presence of giant O SmeYed Oirbi*ne Ramdeoli and Madrai are in i? SHridr$ktsie{t squirrels. Nane Ghat, Ambe Rai, Malshei Ghats r guffeyed $itE5 giant reiatively undisturbed conditions and support Squirrel Surveyed Areas fig.,t" 1 Location ofGiant squirreli. Historically, SGNP and Tungareshwar have in Western Ghats of Maharashtra ,r".r". been inhabited by giant squirrel possibly and its because of isolation from the main forests Status of GiantSquirrels inthe SurveyedArea in surroundings' The research team walked 723'16 km on foot urban squirrels and their nests' the study area looking for the largely findings' . Pune district, Wadgaon forests are The results of the survey revealed interesting In undistributedbuttherewerereportsofhuntingof AlltheProtectedAreashavegoodabundanceofgiant and killing levels are squirrels in this area by stoning of n-ests squimels and will remain so if the protection with catapults Capture and trade of squirrels from maintained.Howeve4theabundanceofgiantsquirrels and concern' Lonavala, Mulshi, Tamhini is going on' funnar in the Reserved Forests is a matter of serious zrdtfiErdl zotagd t: Khed Ranges had more signs of squirrel presence . Mahableshwar being a hill station, the tall forests are than Otur Range. In Phlagun-Gavan and Bikerode, preserved in public gardens, government rest many new nests were seen but unfortunately large houses, and near estates ofthe original residents and scale tree cutting was observed here. squirrels are found only in these patches. In all other areas, forests are facing a lot of pressure from Giant squirrels were not encountered in Bhor lopping, fire-wood collection and conversion of divison. in the Raireshwar temple area forests to strawberry farms and flower nurseries. .Villagers giant reported having sighted giant squirrels 10 years ago Koyna Sanctuary has good abundance of when the forests were tall and contiguous but now it squirrels. does not support any squirrels. In Sangli district, Chandoli National Park has giant Bhimashankar WLS remains the stronghold of squirrels in good abundance. Indian giant squirrel in Maharashtra. Although signs of tree-cutting and herbivore poaching was recorded . Though there are primary forests in Kolhapur from Bhimashankar., giant squirrels are seen in good District, giant squirrel presence was not as expected. numbers in Bhimashankar and from their behavior The entire landscape is a matrix of Private Forests it appears that they are not afraid of human presence interspersed with Primary Forests, cultivation and indicating that people do not hunt squirrels in plantations. Radhanagri Sanctuary has good intact Bhimashankar. forests cover and thus supports good population of giant squirrels. In Raigad district, although areas in the region support dense and tall forests, especially around We were informed that since last 5 years, giant Sudhagarh-Pali, Karjat and Pen, but giant squirrels squirrel have started entering plantation orchards in were missing from the forests. The area has had a towns nears Sawantwadi Range. The research team history of hunting of giant squirrels by slicing the made a quick visit to a few villages in Sawantwadi and nests and huntingwith catapult, sickle and gun. confirmed thatthe giant squirrels have been feeding on coconut, banana and cashew plantations. The farmers Matheran and Prabalgad are tourist areas and shoot the squirrel with guns to prevent them from a of the included in the eco-sensitive zone. The presence of feeding on the crops. This is a serious issue as lot in field staff in the area has helped in protecting the area is being converted in commercial plantations forests and giant squirrels. Sindhudurg. Table 1. Relative Encounter Rates of R. indicainthe In Roha division, giant squirrels were recorded only from Roha and Murud ranges Kanthejalli is a small o.0B (0.04) 2.3 [0.38) settlement of Katkari tribes. They regularly hunt Bhimashankar 0.7 [0.L6) 1.2.3(L.43) squirrels for meat with catapults. In Srivardhan, SGNP, Tungareshwar there are patches of primary forests but they are isolated and not connected to each other' 7.57 (2.99) and firewood collection is prominent Deforestation s.s [1.7] locals indulge in hunting of in Murud range. The 2.1[0.8) giant squirrels for food. 0.3(0.31 Phansad WLS has good number of giant squirrels. With its evergreen vegetation and low disturbance, Malshej Ghat 0.0e[0.08J 4.4(1..7) Phansad is a potential area for giant squirrels. Thane Division o.o2 [0.02J o.B[0.4) (2.0) . In Satara district, squirrel presence was recorded funnar Division 0.3[0.1s) 4.8 from most areas but there were signs of tree felling Pune Division 0.s[0.16) 7.0 (1.3) lopping and forest fires almost everywhere. In Patan, Roha Division 0.1[0.11) Roatghi area has primary tall forests but these Raigad Division 0.04 (0,04) 0.4(0.2) forests did not have any signs of squirrels. In Nechal, Satara Division 0.2[o.oeJ lopping and tree felling by locals were observed in Kolhapur Division 0.0s[0.03) 2.7 (0.s) parentheses represent standard eIIoI manyplaces. Enc0nuter rate = no of animals seen/ total km walked Figures in zrdrfidrdf I zor,, gdlrt Without the giant squirrels, the forests are Safeguardingthe Life of Forests hand to the giant Department Iifeless and silent. It is tirne to lend a In 2074, Maharashtra Forest their survival' ,qrrir..t, so they don't need to stretch for initiated awareness and training of field staff about it importance of protecting giant squirrels-and followed efforts should Acknowledgements *ttf, a statelwide.",tir'." in 2015' Such are grateful to WWF New Delhi and "f annual basis in Protected Areas and The authors be continued on sup-porting such an Forests' Ruffords Grants Program for most irnportantly in the Reserved Maharashtra' giant squirrels iiportant study on tie giant squirrels in. In Maharashtra Western Ghats, Arulmalar and at low density Wi tnanl< Raniit Sahio, Evangeline are widely distributed but they occur and Tushar Pawar their help during field survey outside the Protected Areas' Presence of giant squirrel for reportwriting.