This species is endemic to southern India and Sri Lanka. It is smallest of all Ratufa species. It inhabits dry as well as wet evergreen forests. It is an arboreal species, mostly found solitary. Its diet is composed of fruits, leaves, branches, and sometimes bird eggs. It makes nests (drey) high in the canopy.

Conservation Status:

This species is listed as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).


According to IUCN Red List status population of this species is decreasing all over its range. It is estimated thta there are about 300 individuals in India. The population is heavily fragmented. Threats to its population mainly come from habitat fragmentation and loss. Residential and commercial activities, logging, agricultural expansion, hunting and trapping are the main threats.