About Funambulus palmarum (Linnaeus, 1766)
The palm squirrel, Funambulus palmarum, is about the size of a large chipmunk, with a bushy tail that is slightly shorter than its body. Its back is grizzled grey-brown, marked with three distinct white stripes that run from head to tail; the two outer stripes only extend from the forelegs to the hind legs. It has a creamy-white belly, and a tail covered with interspersed long black and white hairs. Its ears are small and triangular. Juvenile squirrels have noticeably lighter coloration that darkens progressively as they age. Albinism is rare, but has been recorded in this species. The Indian palm squirrel displays a range of reproductive behaviors: some individuals have cyclical reproductive activity, while others reproduce continuously. The species has a gestation period of 34 days, and breeding occurs in grass nests during autumn. Litters most commonly contain two or three young, with an average litter size of 2.75. The young are weaned after around 10 weeks, and reach sexual maturity at 9 months. Adult individuals weigh 100 grams. Little is known about the longevity of wild individuals, but one captive specimen lived for 5.5 years.
