The Indian Giant Squirrel Is Almost Too Beautiful To Be Real

When squirrel expert John Koprowski first saw a Malabar giant squirrel, also known as an Indian giant squirrel, he couldn’t believe his eyes.John was visiting India in 206 and first thought that the animal looked more like a primate than a squirrel due to its massive size.However, this giant animal was no primate – just a very, very large squirrel. They are two times the size of an eastern grey squirrel and can be 36 inches long.

Thankfully, these gorgeous critters aren't currently in danger of extinction, but they'll need to be protected.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently has this species on the designated list of "least concern," but their population has been on the decline. In order to protect this species, protection laws will need to go into effect."The real threat is the slow loss and degradation of forested habitats as humans move in and as climate change impacts higher elevation areas,"Koprowski said."The good news is that they have a wide distribution and seem to tolerate human presence and even some modest level of low-density housing."