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What the sources say

Malabar Giant SquirrelRatufa indica

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Malabar Giant Squirrel profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 69 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Ratufa indica (Indian giant squirrel). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysA giant squirrel of peninsular India
The source saysThe distribution of Ratufa indica is restricted to peninsular India.
The page sayscan leap six meters or more between trees
The source saysMoving from tree to tree, R. indica can leap 6 meters or more.
The page saysrarely leaves them
The source saysGiant squirrels rarely leave the trees, usually only to chase other squirrels during the breeding season.
The page saysForests of peninsular India
The source saysThe distribution of Ratufa indica is restricted to peninsular India.
The page saysFruit, seeds, flowers, nuts, leaves, bark, insects and bird eggs
The source saysGiant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects.
The page saysFruit, seeds, flowers, nuts, leaves, bark, insects and bird eggs
The source saysseeds, grains, and nutsNote: ADW's Plant Foods list
The page saysLeaps of six meters or more between trees
The source saysMoving from tree to tree, R. indica can leap 6 meters or more.
The page sayseagle-sized nests of leaves and twigs
The source saysRatufa indica build eagle-sized nests in the branches of trees
The page saysrestricted to peninsular India
The source saysThe distribution of Ratufa indica is restricted to peninsular India.
The page saysBody length runs 254 to 457 millimeters, with a tail about as long again
The source saysTotal body length varies from 254 to 457 mm and tail length is approximately the same as body length.
The page saysadults weigh roughly 1.5 to 2 kilograms
The source saysThese squirrels weigh approximately 1.5 to 2 kg (Nowak 1999).
The page saysup to 3
The source saysRange mass 3 (high) kg
The page saysIts back ranges from deep red to brown
The source saysRatufa indica has dorsal coloration that varies from deep red to brown
The page saysSix-Meter Leaps
The source saysMoving from tree to tree, R. indica can leap 6 meters or more.
The page saysThis squirrel rarely leaves the trees
The source saysGiant squirrels rarely leave the trees, usually only to chase other squirrels during the breeding season.
The page saysusually coming down only to chase other squirrels during the breeding season
The source saysGiant squirrels rarely leave the trees, usually only to chase other squirrels during the breeding season.
The page saysIt can leap six meters or more from one tree to the next
The source saysMoving from tree to tree, R. indica can leap 6 meters or more.
The page saysIt feeds standing on its hind legs and handling food with its front paws
The source saysThey feed by standing on the hind legs and using their hands to handle food.
The page saysits large tail working as a counterweight for balance
The source saysGiant squirrels also uses their large tail as a counter-weight, improving their balance.
The page saysIt typically lives alone
The source saysGiant squirrels are typically solitary animals, being seen only rarely in pairs during the breeding season.
The page sayskeeps a small home range
The source saysGiant squirrels have small home ranges (G. Umapathy, 2000).
The page saysis most active during the day
The source saysThey are most active during the day (Nowak, 1999).
The page saysEagle-Sized Nests in Exotic Trees
The source saysRatufa indica build eagle-sized nests in the branches of trees
The page sayswhich Animal Diversity Web describes as eagle-sized
The source saysRatufa indica build eagle-sized nests in the branches of trees
The page saysIts omnivorous diet
The source saysGiant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects.
The page saysfruit, seeds, flowers, leaves and bark are on its menu
The source saysGiant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects.
The page saysfruit, seeds, flowers, leaves and bark are on its menu
The source saysseeds, grains, and nutsNote: ADW's Plant Foods list
The page saysalong with insects and bird eggs
The source saysGiant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects.
The page saysit disperses the seeds of the plants it eats when it defecates
The source saysRatufa indica disperses the seeds of the plants that they consume as they defecate (Borges 1992).
The page saysIts likely predators include cats, civets, raptors and snakes
The source saysIt is likely that they are preyed upon by many medium and large-sized predators, such as cats, civet cats, raptors, and snakes.
The page saysit escapes them mainly by retreating into the trees, relying on agility and wariness
The source saysGiant squirrels escape predation primarily by seeking refuge in the trees and through their agility and wariness.
The page saysSix meters or more. That is the leap Animal Diversity Web records for it when it moves between trees.
The source saysMoving from tree to tree, R. indica can leap 6 meters or more.
The page saysIt is an omnivore, eating fruit, flowers, nuts, bark, insects and bird eggs.
The source saysGiant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects.
The page saysIt can leap six meters or more between trees
The source sayscan leap 6 meters or moreNote: vibe.reason, re-paired in the wave 116 final pass (geography pairing: Indian fusion on an Indian animal)
The page saysit feeds standing on its hind legs
The source saysThey feed by standing on the hind legs and using their hands to handle food.Note: vibe.reason, wave 116 re-pair
The page sayswith its large tail as a counterweight
The source saysGiant squirrels also uses their large tail as a counter-weight, improving their balance.Note: vibe.reason, wave 116 re-pair
The page saystags: omnivore
The source saysGiant squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, bird eggs, and insects.Note: settle #880: replaces herbivore

Source
02

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

Ratufa indica. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysadults weigh roughly 1.5 to 2 kilograms
The source saysAdult weight 2,000 gNote: AnAge (current build) gives adult weight as 2,000 g, i.e. 2 kg, the top of ADW's older 1.5-2 kg average
The page saysThe oldest on record, a captive squirrel, lived to 20
The source saysMaximum longevity 20 years (captivity)Note: current source; the record is a captive animal
The page saysweightKg: 2
The source saysAdult weight 2,000 gNote: battleStats (settle #880); ADW gives approximately 1.5 to 2 kg

Source
03

Molur 2016

Molur (2016). Ratufa indica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T19378A22262028.

The page saysthough it is listed as Least Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).
The page saysIts 2016 IUCN Red List assessment lists Ratufa indica as Least Concern.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).

Source
04

Borges 1992

Borges (1992). A nutritional analysis of foraging in the Malabar giant squirrel (Ratufa indica). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.

The page saysFruit, seeds, flowers, nuts, leaves, bark, insects and bird eggs
The source saysmature leaves and bark on a regular daily basisNote: leaves and bark as regular daily items
The page saysBig bodies buy flexibility.
The source saysLarge body size in this squirrel permits dietary flexibility and enables an overall generalist feeding strategy.
The page saysLarge body size permits dietary flexibility in this squirrel and an overall generalist feeding strategy, a 1992 study of its foraging concluded.
The source saysLarge body size in this squirrel permits dietary flexibility and enables an overall generalist feeding strategy.
The page saysfruit, seeds, flowers, leaves and bark are on its menu
The source saysmature leaves and bark on a regular daily basisNote: leaves and bark as regular daily items

Source
05

S et al. 2023

S et al. (2023). Nesting behaviour of Indian Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica) in the exotic timber plantations of the Palani Hills, Western Ghats, India. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

The page sayseagle-sized nests of leaves and twigs
The source saysIGS builds large globular nests of leaves and twigs, with a discreet opening either on the side or the top.
The page saysEagle-Sized Nests in Exotic Trees
The source sayswith 73% of the nests found on exotic Eucalyptus trees
The page saysIt builds large globular nests of leaves and twigs
The source saysIGS builds large globular nests of leaves and twigs, with a discreet opening either on the side or the top.
The page saysIn the Palani Hills, a survey of exotic timber plantations found 70 nests
The source saysAn extensive survey of timber plantations revealed a total of 70 nests
The page says73% of them in eucalyptus
The source sayswith 73% of the nests found on exotic Eucalyptus trees
The page saysThe nests sat 8 to 50 meters up
The source saysthe nest heights (range 8m to 50m)
The page saysin trees averaging 34.8 meters tall
The source saysIGS built nests on tall trees (34.8mNote: full figure in source: 34.8m ± 1.8, n = 70
The page saysnest sites were significantly closer to rainforest patches
The source saysnest sites were significantly closer to rainforest patches

Source
06

G, Thampy & Moti 2023

G, Thampy & Moti (2023). Putative hybrids between Indian giant squirrels (Ratufa indica) and grizzled giant squirrels (Ratufa macroura): a case study from the Western Ghats, India. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

The page saysincluding evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous forest and nearby plantations in the Western Ghats
The source saysthe IGS occupying the evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous forests and adjacent plantations, and the GGS restricted to the drier rain shadow regions
The page saysThe maxima subspecies, recorded in the Western Ghats of Kerala
The source saysR. indica indica Erxleben, 1777 and R. indica maxima Schreber, 1784, have been recorded from the Western Ghats of Kerala
The page sayswears a bay or maroon coat with a black saddle across the shoulders, cream or buff underparts
The source saysR. i. maxima ... is a brightly coloured large subspecies of the IGS characterized by a bay or maroon-coloured upper body with a black saddle across the shoulders, a black rump, an entirely black tail without a pale tip, cream or buff underparts and toes
The page saysear tufts that are generally bay or maroon too
The source sayswell-developed tufts of hair on the ears, which are generally bay or maroon coloured
The page saysKits have been observed to stay in the nursery nest for two to three months after birth before they emerge
The source saysIGS and GGS kits have been observed to remain in the nursery drey for two to three months after birth before emerging
The page saysHybrids with the grizzled giant squirrel have been reported from a few places in South India
The source saysInterspecific hybridization between IGS (R. indica maxima) and GGS (R. macroura dandolena) has been reported from a few places in South India
The page sayswhere the two species meet
The source saysthey occur in forced sympatry in a few places
The page saysAt Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, researchers recorded eleven suspected hybrids
The source saysA total of eleven putative hybrids could be recorded from the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala.
The page sayseleven suspected hybrids
The source sayswhich are suspected to be hybrids of Indian giant squirrels and grizzled giant squirrels
The page sayswith features intermediate between the two species
The source saysThe morphological characters of the putative hybrids (Fig. 1 a-i) appeared to be intermediate between IGS and GGS
The page saysincluding a female that mated with a male grizzled giant squirrel
The source saysa female putative hybrid (Fig. 1 a) was observed to be mounted by a male grizzled giant squirrel
The page sayslater had two young
The source saysthe presence of two juveniles could be confirmed after two to three months, when they emerged

Source
07

Pradhan, Shrotriya, Rout & Dash 2017

Pradhan, Shrotriya, Rout & Dash (2017). Nesting and feeding habits of Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) in Karlapat wildlife sanctuary, India. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation.

The page saysOne of Four Giant Squirrels
The source saysThe Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) is one of four species of giant squirrels in the world.
The page saysone of four species of giant squirrels in the world
The source saysThe Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) is one of four species of giant squirrels in the world.
The page saysIts populations are severely fragmented
The source saysIt is endemic to India and its populations are severely fragmented.Note: 2017 source, current for the state it describes

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.