I spotted this high up on the branches of a tall tree at Karandana, a rural village. I have seen these squirrels kept in circular cages where they keep running and rotating the cage. The cage was mounted with the axis of the circle mounted horizontally.
Giant Squirrels
“The
Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) is called Dandu Lena in Sinhala and Periya
Anil in Tamil. Giant Squirrels are also known as Rock Squirrels.
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This
species is found in southern India as well, where it is called the Grizzled
Squirrel. The grizzled giant squirrel's common name comes from the gray to
brown colouration highlighted with white at the top of the tail, giving it a
grizzled appearance.
The
rest of the body varies in colour geographically and may be brown, red, gray or
black, but the fur on the underside is always lighter than the back.
This
agile climber is adapted for life spent almost entirely in the trees, and has a
very long tail for balance, broad hands for climbing and large claws for
gripping branches. The ears are short and round. They have a tail that is about
the same length of the body. They are very colorful mammals.
The
colouration of the three sub species, found in Sri Lanka, varies. The Highland
Giant Squirrel or Long-trailed Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura macroura) is
called the Kalu Dandulena in Sinhala and Malai Anil in Tamil...”
