Head to head
Indian Giant Squirrel vs Eurasian Red Squirrel
The Indian giant squirrel and Eurasian red squirrel are both forest squirrels of the Old World, but one is a huge, brightly patched canopy specialist of India and the other a small, tufted-eared squirrel under pressure in Britain.
| Indian Giant Squirrel | Eurasian Red Squirrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ratufa indica | Sciurus vulgaris |
| Size | One of the largest squirrels, with a tail often longer than its body | Much smaller |
| Coat | Patchwork of maroon, orange, cream, and purple-brown | Reddish-orange to dark brown, with ear tufts especially in winter |
| Habitat | Deciduous and evergreen forest across peninsular India | Forest across much of Europe and northern Asia |
| Lifestyle | Lives almost entirely in the upper canopy, leaping between treetops | Forest squirrel that buries nuts and seeds across its territory |
| Diet | Fruit, flowers, nuts, bark, and sap | Seeds, nuts, and fungi, with occasional birds' eggs |
| Main pressure | Loss of tall, continuous forest canopy | Competition and squirrelpox spread by introduced grey squirrels |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern, but declining in Britain and parts of Western Europe |
Indian Giant Squirrel vs Eurasian Red Squirrel: common questions
Which is bigger, the Indian giant squirrel or the Eurasian red squirrel?
The Indian giant squirrel, one of the largest squirrels in the world, with a tail often longer than its body, while the Eurasian red squirrel is much smaller.
Which one is threatened by an introduced rival?
The Eurasian red squirrel, which has been pushed out of much of Britain by introduced grey squirrels that outcompete it and carry a squirrelpox virus that is dangerous to reds.
Where do the Indian giant squirrel and Eurasian red squirrel live?
The Indian giant squirrel lives in forests across peninsular India, including the Western Ghats, while the Eurasian red squirrel lives in forests across much of Europe and northern Asia.