Ratufa macroura are distributed throughout southern India and Sri Lanka.

Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )

The smallest of India's giant squirrels, Ratufa macroura have a head and body length of 25-45cm (Finn 1929, Nowak 1991). Their tails can be as long or longer (Nowak 1991). Ratufa macroura possess short round ears that are often tufted. Their hands are very broad and are well adapted for gripping. Both their hands and feet are equipped with large powerful claws, making them agile climbers (Nowak 1991). Ratufa macroura get their common name from the coloration of their tails. The dorsal surface of the tail is gray or brownish-gray with distinct white highlights, giving the fur a grizzled appearance (Prater 1971). The coloration of the rest of the body varies greatly by locality and may include various shades of brown, red, gray and black, but the ventral fur is always lighter (Nowak 1991). A number of subspecies have been classified strictly on the basis of color variations (Ellerman 1961).

Range mass: 1.5 to 3 kg.

• Terrestrial

Ratufa macroura are almost completely arboreal. Forays to the ground occur when evading predators or chasing other squirrels during the breeding season (Nowak 1991). They are very agile in the trees and have the ability to leap more than six meters from tree to tree (Prater 1971). Ratufa macroura use holes in tree trunks as temporary shelters (Nowak 1991).

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest

Ratufa macroura enjoy a diverse diet that includes fruits, nuts, insects, bird eggs, and the bark of some trees (Nowak 1991). The fruit of the climber Combretum ovalifolium is an especially important food source where it occurs. Young squirrels, upon first emerging from the nest, have been observed to feed exclusively on this fruit (Joshua and Johnsingh 1994).

Ratufa macroura are poorly studied and there is very little data available on their reproductive cycle. The gestation period is believed to last about 28 days (Nowak 1991). During the breeding season, a large nest, similar in appearance to an eagle's nest, is constructed. Parturition occurs within the nest, and the young remain there for at least two to three months (Joshua and Johnsingh 1994). Each litter consists of one or two young, and the female nurses them from her three pairs of mammary glands (Nowak 1991). It has been speculated that Ratufa macroura may raise several litters each year; however, this is unconfirmed (Nowak 1991).

Ratufa macroura are listed on Appendix 2 of CITES (Nowak 1991). The population in south India has been estimated at 300 individuals (Joshua and Johnsingh 1994). The primary threat to their survival is an increasing human population that has caused even traditional activities of forest-dwelling people to become destructive (Joshua and Johnsingh 1994). Thinning of the forest canopy as a result of wood cutting has made Ratufa macroura a more vulnerable target to aerial predators such as the black eagle, Ictinaetus malayensis (Joshua and Johnsingh 1994)

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened

Like many squirrels, Ratufa macroura probably plays a significant role as an agent of seed dispersal (Gurnell 1987). Also, squirrels worldwide have been hunted for food and their fur (Gurnell 1987). Ratufa macroura is probably not an exception.