Northern Black Giant Squirrel

The northern black giant squirrel is the mainland form of the black giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor in the broad sense), one of the largest squirrels in the world. It is deep brown to black above and light buff below, and is diurnal and arboreal. The account used here covers the species in its wider sense and notes that ten subspecies are recognised and that it may represent several similar species, so figures here are for the group as a whole (Wikipedia, general species account).

It favours tropical and subtropical broadleaf and coniferous forest. It feeds on seeds, pine cones, fruit and leaves, is solitary, rarely enters plantations or settlements, and occasionally comes to the ground. Females have one or two young per litter, raised in a tree drey.