Black Giant Squirrel
Ratufa bicolor
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderRodentia (Rodents)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusRatufa (Asian Giant Squirrels)
- SpeciesRatufa bicolor (Black Giant Squirrel)
About the Black Giant Squirrel
The black giant squirrel or Malayan giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) is a large tree squirrel in the genus Ratufa native to the Indomalayan zootope. It is found in forests from northern Bangladesh, northeast India, eastern Nepal, Bhutan, southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, West Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and western Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Bali and nearby small islands).
The black giant squirrel is one of the largest species of squirrel in the world. On average, an adult black giant squirrel weighs around 1.05–1.25 kg (2.3–2.8 lb), has a head–and–body length of 34–37 cm (13–15 in), and the tail is 41–42 cm (16–17 in) long. The subspecies R. b. condorensis of Vietnam's Côn Sơn Island averages only c. 30 cm (12 in) in head–and–body length and the tail 32 cm (13 in), but otherwise it resembles the typical subspecies.
This species is typically distinctly bicoloured with dark upperparts and pale underparts. The back, top of the head, ears and bushy tail are deep brown to black and the underparts are light buff-coloured. In Sumatra, Java and Bali the hairs of the back and tail are light-tipped, making these sections appear relatively pale (however, the upperparts... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Gunung Leuser National Park
Pale Giant Squirrel
Ratufa affinis
Plantain Squirrel
Callosciurus notatus
Prevost's Squirrel
Callosciurus prevostii
Slender Squirrel
Sundasciurus tenuis
Black-striped Squirrel
Callosciurus nigrovittatus
Three-striped Ground Squirrel
Lariscus insignis
Red Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista petaurista
Sumatran Mountain Squirrel
Sundasciurus altitudinis
Horse-tailed Squirrel
Sundasciurus hippurus
Malayan Porcupine
Hystrix brachyura
Sumatran Mountain Maxomys
Maxomys hylomyoides
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Bali Barat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 7 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 8 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 9 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 10 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 11 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 12 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 13 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 14 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 15 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black Giant Squirrel in Gunung Leuser National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black Giant Squirrel sighting in Gunung Leuser National Park, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black Giant Squirrel in Gunung Leuser National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Black Giant Squirrel in Gunung Leuser National Park in our monthly data.