(IN) Giant Squirrels Count Up

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Giant squirrels at home in Bhimashankar, count up

Umesh Isalkar, TNN 18 July 2009, 03:14am IST

 

PUNE: The elusive rust-coloured giant squirrel (Ratufa indica elphinstoni) — the

state animal of Maharashtra — is enjoying a steady increase in numbers in the

forests of Bhimashankar.

 

According to latest figures, following an extensive census this year in June by

the forest department (wildlife), 1,297 giant squirrels have made the

Bhimashankar wildlife sanctuary their home. This is an increase from last year's

figure of 1,180.

 

" The animal is extremely shy and almost never comes down from the trees where it

lives. This makes counting them almost impossible. We have to employ indirect

methods of calculating its number as per the new and old nests these giant

squirrels inhabit, " said D N Naik, assistant conservator of forest

(Bhimashankar).

In order to make the census as precise as possible, the wildlife section has

divided the sanctuary into sectors and sub-sectors with precise markings.

 

The giant squirrel is a territorial animal and before the monsoon sets in, it

builds six to eight nests around the area it has marked. " We have arrived at the

figure by counting the nests, both new and old, which are being used by the

squirrels, " said Y L P Rao, conservator of forest (wildlife), Pune.

 

``The giant squirrel is arboreal and so needs a thick canopy of trees to move

around in and look for food. Any loss of a continuous canopy could result in

restriction of its habitat and in-breeding,'' said Anil Mahabal, senior

scientist (F) from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Pune. The steady

increase in the numbers of giant squirrel indicates that their habitation is not

being disturbed by humans. Trees are not being cut in the Bhimashankar forest,

he added.

 

The sanctuary, though, is not untouched by human intervention. The Shiva temple

in its confines is one of the 12 jyotirlings and attracts a continuous stream of

pilgrims and tourists.

 

The volume of visitors swells to upto 3.5 lakh on Mahashivratri. " This stream of

humanity brings along with it plastic and garbage, which can threaten the

sensitive habitat of the giant squirrels, " said Mahabal.