Chester Zoo Indian Giant Squirrel

Well those enclosures have been emptied of animals now (squirrels and junglefowl) and the information signs have also been removed, so a new species may be on it's way.
 
Was reading the elephants article on zoolex, when i came across this picture

ZooLex Picture 12

is there any news of giant squirrels arriving?


Chester orignally filled this exhibits with common species with the idea of acquring rarer species as and when they came available, so something new may well be on its way in.
 
There will be specimens of the related Grizzled Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) in another collection in this country before the year is up.
 
Pretty certain I can remember giant squirrels in the old small mammal house at Chester - anybody else remember this . There used to be lots of unusual species here such as American badgers , fire-footed squirrels and viscachas .

It will be good to see giant squirrels back in the UK , most impressive animals . Used to be quite a few around and they were available in the pet trade . I do not know if they bred in any collections .
 
Pretty certain I can remember giant squirrels in the old small mammal house at Chester - anybody else remember this . There used to be lots of unusual species here such as American badgers , fire-footed squirrels and viscachas .

It will be good to see giant squirrels back in the UK , most impressive animals . Used to be quite a few around and they were available in the pet trade . I do not know if they bred in any collections .

I remember them Bele.

I know London bred Ratufa bicolor in the 1970s.

Check out one of my earlier posts

http://www.zoochat.com/38/chester-zoo-small-mammal-house-13965/
 
There will be specimens of the related Grizzled Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) in another collection in this country before the year is up.

Sounds interesting, a very unusual species there.
I could think of a few collections known for unusual species that it might be, but i guess everyone on here would probably think of the same collections.

When are they due to arrive, are the coming from Sri Lanka or from another zoo?
 
I rember seeing the Giant squirrel in one of the outdoor enclosures of the old Small Mammal House,also know of one person who used to have a pair as pets.
 
I rember seeing the Giant squirrel in one of the outdoor enclosures of the old Small Mammal House,also know of one person who used to have a pair as pets.

do they make "good" pets, ive never heard of them being used in the pet trade
 
They used to be about in the 1960`s/70`s but don`t know of any in the pet trade now or even in private hands for that matter.

very interesting, i must say im very interested in this species..im going to do some research
 
Back
Top