A Checklist To The 6 Squirrels Of Sri Lanka

1
The Dusky Striped Squirrel
The Dusky-Striped Squirrel was thought to be the Indian Nilgiri striped squirrel, but closer study revealed it as a separate species. Despite being the smallest of the island’s squirrels, it is, at 60-70 grams, larger than its Nilgiri cousin, and spots longer, thicker stripes. But it is rare, keeping to the wet zone rainforests of the southwest like Sinharaja, though the odd sighting has also been made on Horton Plains, and in Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy.


2
The Grizzled Giant Squirrel
The Grizzled Giant Squirrel is a massive beast, with a nose to tail length of 1.5 metres. In Sri Lanka it hugs the central highlands and comes with two other sub variants. The Highland Giant Squirrel, or Long-Tailed Giant Squirrel, has a pale tummy and a black head and upper body. It lives in hilly centre of the island – Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, for example. Smaller and lighter in colour is the Lowland Giant Squirrel sometimes called the Common Giant Squirrel. They have excellent vision, poor hearing and a shrill staccato cackle.

3
The Indian Flying Squirrel
The Indian Flying Squirrel has evolved a remarkable wing membrane between its limbs to enable it to glide, parachute-style in total silence. When not in use this membrane is something of an encumbrance, restricting and slowing down its non-flight speed and agility and requiring a bizarre choreography of gliding and climbing to get back into its tree hole home. It comes in two sizes, the Grey Flying Squirrel being the largest of the pair, silver grey to dark brown in colour with large eyes and is found throughout the central parts of the island. Lesser studied, shyer, and so endangered it is often considered extinct is the second flying squirrel, Small Flying Squirrel which sticks to the wet forested part of the island like the Knuckles Forest Reserve, Adam's Peak, Sinharaja and Kitulgala.


4
The Nilgiri Striped Squirrel
Almost nothing is known about the tiny dark brown Nilgiri Striped Squirrel expect for the fact that it is different to the Dusky-Striped Squirrel, with which it was once confused. Indeed, some zoologists believe that it no longer exists in Sri Lanka at all, being found only in highly restricted parts of South India.

5
Layard's Palm Squirrel
The endemic Layard's Palm Squirrel is also known as the Flame Striped Jungle Squirrel for the beautiful markings that run along its back. It is about thirty centimetres nose to tail, with black fur that fades to reddish brown on its stomach and can be seen all around the central highlands. By day they forage for fruit and nuts; by night they chatter from tree to tree, living, like swans, in pairs that bond for life. With their natural forest habitat eroded steadily, they are categorised as Vulnerable.

6
The Three-Striped Palm Squirrel
The Indian Palm or Three-Striped Palm Squirrel is both common and widespread – found right across Sri Lanka and India - in both rural and urban areas. Its markings are very similar to those of the endemic Layard's Palm Squirrel, with whom it is often confused.