dusky stripped squirrel
the squirrel is extremely shy and elusive. The population trend indicates a quantitative decrease at a rate of 20% or more in last 10 years and a similar trend in the future is predicted due to habitat loss in the two countries (Molur et al. 2005). This is one of the rarest and most shy Funambulus species that is usually confused with Funambulus layardi in Sri Lanka and Funambulus tristriatus in India (Sanjay Molur pers. comm. 2008).it is declared vulnerable.
This species is restricted to riparian habitats, especially reedbeds, in tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forest. In Sri Lanka, it is associated with these wetlands in low country wet to mid montane wet zone (Molur et al. 2005) and in bamboo jungles. In the Western Ghats it is associated with Ochlandra sp. Reedbeds in moist forests (N. Rajamani pers. comm.; Molur et al. 2005).the place which is good to sight it in India is vellimalai,in Theni.
Their are few trees where one can sight it at regular intervals.Their habitat is less in that area. There population has dwindled in course of time.They share there area with malabar trogan
Mission Wall