Squirrels are no longer strange to us. You can find thousands of photos of these cute little furry friends on the Internet. If you visit parks and reserves, you can definitely get a close encounter with them. These playful animals are even raised as pets.
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But when it comes to a multi-colored giant squirrel, Shekru, everything changes. It is native to India and is covered with black, brown, and orange, maroon, and purple. This gorgeous coat not only makes them stand out from the crowd but also easily blends with the forest canopy.
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The Malabar giant squirrel is also famous for its “huge” shape. It can reach up 3 feet long, from its head to brilliantly blue bushy tail.
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These strikingly beautiful squirrels do not often appear in people’s places. They spend most of their time leaping from tree to tree. They feed on flowers, bark, seeds, and insects. They even eat bird eggs if there are any freely available. Their big tails help them a lot in seeking food.
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If you have an opportunity to see these captivating creatures in real life, make sure that you grasp it.
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And, Mohammed Farooq, an amateur photographer got that luck. He spotted the stunning Shekru in the forest town of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, South India when he was enjoying his morning walk.
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It was such a big surprise as Mohammed had seen this cute animal once before. He moved to the beautiful town in 1982. At that time, the town was delighted with green and these squirrels kept flying from tree to tree all over the town. But sadly, they gradually disappeared. And after 34 years, the man encounters these adorable and stunning animals again.
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Although this beautiful Malabar giant squirrel is not listed as endangered, it faces real threats. Poachers for fur and the loss of habitat.
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The sad news is they have already disappeared completely in some areas in India.
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However, in some areas like Kodaikanal, these precious animals are coming back. The main reason is that local people have learned to respect nature.
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Another factor contributing to the revival of this colorful squirrel is the work of the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Pune. They have bred and studied these animals. “We wanted to study them genetically,” zoo director Rajkumar Jadhav told The Hindu. “There are plenty of studies on the tiger, but so little is known about smaller animals like this one.”
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If you love this stunning giant squirrel, just share the article with your family and friends. Nature is amazing!
H/T: Boredpanda