Abstract
Animal dietary choices help understand a species’ feeding niche and are
particularly relevant in conservation management. In this study, we
aimed to gather knowledge on food niche and the foraging ecology of the
Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) in Chinnar Wildlife
Sanctuary, Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India. Specifically, the
objectives were to identify food composition, the seasonal variation in
food choice and feeding technique. Through focal animal sampling, the
Grizzled Giant Squirrel in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary was found to feed
on 30 plant species belonging to 18 families. The most utilized plant
family was Fabaceae, with eight species, followed by Moraceae (four
species) and Anacardiaceae (two species). The feeding species included
22 trees, four climbers, one liana, one paraphyte, one shrub and one
succulent species. The maximum duration of feeding was observed on
Bauhinia racemosa (19.79%), followed by Tamarindus indica
(14.08%) and Nothopegia beddomei (9.89%). The squirrel’s choice
of diet was primarily affected by the availability of food tree species
and food items rather than the season and non-tree species also have
been reported from the diet of Grizzled Giant Squirrel. Even though the
Grizzled Giant Squirrel shows plasticity in the food niche, the
availability of mature trees and plants appears important for its
conservation in the fragmented riparian forest in the Western Ghats,
southern India.