Squirrel Facts: The Indian Palm Squirrel

The Indian palm squirrel is also known as the three-striped palm squirrel, and is native to southern India and Sri Lanka. It is a tree squirrel about the size of a rat, and actually has five white stripes, although only three of them run the entire length of its body from neck to tail.

Their diet is mostly made up of nuts and fruits. Like the eastern gray squirrel, the Indian palm squirrel is common in urban areas and lives comfortably in close proximity to humans.

There is a beautiful Hindu legend about the Indian palm squirrel. According to the legend, the squirrel helped to construct a bridge for Lord Rama so that he could retrieve his wife Sita, who had been kidnapped. The squirrel worked tirelessly carrying small rocks for the bridge, all the while chanting Lord Rama's name. But the larger and stronger monkeys and bears, who could carry much larger stones, made fun of her for being small and weak. Lord Rama, recognizing the squirrel's dedication and seeing her crying from the other animals' ridicule, lifted her up and stroked her back, and declared that from then on nobody would make fun of her. His fingers as he petted her left the stripes on her back.

Lord Rama and the Squirrel