The Three-striped Palm Squirrel: Our Urban Neighbours

Darting up tree trunks, shaking branches and leaves, and scurrying along compound walls – these small mammals lead fascinating lives that we often only get to catch a glimpse of amidst our busy daily schedules. We’re bringing into the spotlight our fruit and nut-gathering urban neighbours, the three-striped palm squirrel!

Native to India and Sri Lanka, this species of rodent has also been named after our subcontinent as the “Indian palm squirrel” due to its prevalence in various parts of the country as well as its mythological significance here. These squirrels get their name from the three distinctive white stripes running along the length of their back. Mythology accounts for these stripes as originating from a tale in the Ramayana, when a little squirrel contributed to the building of the bridge at Rameswaram and Lord Rama, pleased with its effort, stroked the squirrel’s back, leaving the three stripes we can see today. They are closely related to the five-striped palm squirrel found in parts of Northern India and Australia and are often mistaken for chipmunks.

Their fur grows progressively darker as they age, settling into a grey-brown shade on their back, a creamy-white belly, and a combination of the two shading their bushy tail slightly longer than their body. They have two small and triangular ears and beady black eyes characteristic of rodents. They can be found scurrying in forests, grasslands, parks, gardens, and urban areas primarily in tropical countries. Despite their size, they are surprisingly fast and can move at speeds up to 16 km/hr.

You may know them for always being on the move and indeed, these squirrels constantly keep themselves busy and show rapid movements as they move on the ground and climb trees. They lead very active lives during the day, protecting their food from birds and other squirrels or scavenging in urban areas. They build grass nests and defend their territories with a sharp “chip” call. Unlike many other species of squirrels, they choose not to hibernate during the winter. These opportunistic mammals have adapted to urban spaces, learning how to retrieve food from houses and even accepting food from humans. They can be spotted sunbathing at dawn and dusk as well as scavenging for small prey on the ground.

As omnivores, they prefer nuts and fruit but have also been seen feeding on seeds, small mammals, insects, and eggs. Two long and sharp front teeth or incisors enable them to dig into the hardest shell coverings of nuts and fruits, often described as being “chisel-sharp”. In fact, they can be seen constantly chewing – a necessary activity that ensures that their teeth don’t grow into their lower jaw and skull. Due to their mythological significance in India, they often have no problem finding or being offered food. Although considered a nuisance by some due to their opportunistic nature, they are viewed as sacred animals and are treated with reverence, just like many other animals in our culture.

Their activity rises to a peak in the mating season in the autumn months when their mating calls can be heard. Newborns are blind and furless, relying entirely on their mother for nutrition until they are weaned at around 10 weeks of age. Their life spans vary, but they usually live around 18 months in the wild to 5 years in captivity. One specimen studied in captivity survived for up to 5 and a half years. Fortunately, the population of this species is not a matter of concern. Although no estimate of their population is available, their sighting has been common enough for them to be listed under Least Concern (LC) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

However, they are not entirely safe from the ill effects of human activity. Urbanization and rapid deforestation pose a threat to their natural habitats, forcing them out of their homes. They face violent consequences when caught feeding on various fruit and vegetable crops. A study conducted in Tamil Nadu to record instances of roadkill from 2014 to 2016 found 497 instances of palm squirrels recorded as roadkill victims, a majority of which were within forests and human habitations. As smaller mammals, this is an additional risk that they face due to human encroachment. Even attacks from wild cats, dogs, and birds like eagles necessitate further studies on their ecological position to predict how the species may be affected by biotic and abiotic elements in the future.

The relationship that we have formed and continue to form with urban wildlife is paradoxical and fragile as the effects of urbanization and the adaptation-based instincts of animals around us continue to change and evolve each day. While peaceful coexistence does warrant a certain level of interaction, tipping the relationship onto either side of the scale can have adverse effects. For instance, the previously mentioned hostility or even disregard for the lives of these small mammals endangers their lives and leads to harm and cruelty. On the other hand, overinvolvement and closeness with them through regular feeding and interaction can interfere with their cautious instinct around human beings or create aggressive dispositions as they grow dependent on people for food due to habituation. Scientists take a moderate stance on this, advising the use of bird and squirrel feeders to be left outside during winter when food is scarce so they may obtain adequate food without the direct involvement of human interaction.

While ecologists continue to study these relationships to ascertain a healthy middle ground, there is still much we can learn about these squirrels simply by observing their activity. As some of the most visible wildlife in our neighborhoods, they serve as an excellent source of entertainment for animal enthusiasts with their quirky behavior. You may watch them carrying out their role as nature’s gardeners by planting seeds in the ground or marking their scent on nuts by rubbing it over their face. Although a common sight, there is still much that we don’t know about these curious rodents, leaving the stage open for nature lovers to watch from afar and learn as these striped squirrels scurry alongside us in our cities, making their way through their own busy lives.


If you find a squirrel in need of rescue, call our free rescue helpline - 9900025370