Squirrels

Indian Palm Squirrel

Funambulus palmarum

Three Striped Palm Squirrel

The one animal you are sure to find in the parks and gardens of Jaipur today is a squirrel. Talking its talk, busy with its antics, even trying to pick a fight with the birds there. It is always ready to give you company. A good day or not it will surely cheer you up by its presence and antics.

The Legend

Legend has it that when the Adi Sethu was being built at Rameshwaram, a squirrel helped by rolling in the sand on the beach and then shaking off the sand on the bridge all the while chanting Lord Ram’s name. Pleased with the squirrel’s efforts Shri Ram stroked its back and left the imprint of his fingers on its back for all eternity. That is the reason why squirrels are considered sacred in India.

Biology

About the size of rats with bushy tails, of black and white hair, a little shorter than their body. They have 5 stripes running across their bodies, three of them run from their head to the tail and the two run from foreleg to hind leg only. They have a creamy white belly. They have small ears. They breed during autumn in grass nests. They have a gestation period of 34 days.2 or 3 are born at a time and are weaned in ten weeks and become adult in 9 months. An adult weighs about 100gms. Their average life could be about 5 years.

As they eat grass or fruits or nuts millions of trees in the world are accidentally planted by squirrels who bury nuts and then forget where they hid them.

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