Wild India | An Encounter with a Wild Malabar Giant Squirrel
It was about 6.30 am in the morning on the last day of my field visit to Wayanad and Nagarhole. The last night I had stayed in a coffee estate and about 6.30 am I entered Nagarhole from Kutta. After driving for about ten minutes, I found a Malabar Giant Squirrel about five or six feet above the ground on a tree trunk. There were a few tribal kids excitedly pointing at it from a distance.
Nagarhole is devoid of villages, except for this hamlet where about seven or eight tribal families have been resettled. I quickly parked my Tata Safari. My two cameras were lying on the seat in the middle row. I turned and picked up my camera ready to shoot.
My Canon EOS 1D Mark II Camera had my 400mm f2.8 L IS USM lens with a 2xII TC attached, so I could have got a close up shot even if I had photographed from my Tata Safari. However, without shooting through my window, on an impulse, I opened the door and ran towards the Malabar Giant Squirrel to shoot it from close quarters.
The previous day I was trying to click a Malabar Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica) high up in the tree but was not happy with the results as the light level was pretty low. There have been several occasions before when I had tried to photograph Malabar Giant Squirrel but was not excited with the outcome.
I moved in close to the tree and tried to photograph it at eye level as it was about 5 feet up in the tree. The Malabar Giant Squirrel instead of running away, came down the tree to the ground.
So I knelt down and tried to photograph it from a close distance. It was virtually close to the minimum focusing distance of my lens.
I had never seen a wild Malabar Giant Squirrel so close to me. I was lying on the ground to click it and it was running around on the ground. A tourist vehicle came and halted near me. I could see the look of amazement in their eyes. The Malabar Giant Squirrel then started moving towards the car. Immediately the tourists rolled up the windows. They were scared and the car immediately raced away.
The Malabar Giant Squirrel started coming closer and closer and all the time I was trying to move backwards as it was coming within the minimum focusing distance of my lens. It then jumped and climbed on top of me. I was stunned, however I kept absolutely quiet, as you are supposed to do when a wild animal or reptile climbs on you. Then as it became comfortable, I could slowly make my movements.
First the Malabar Giant Squirrel climbed and sat on top of my lens. It was sniffing the camera. It then started nibbling the camera strap. I started feeling anxious that my camera strap will be shredded into pieces. Within seconds the strap can get disintegrated, so I calmly and very gently coaxed the Malabar Giant Squirrel to move away from my camera. It then climbed on my shoulder and head.
Then I heard the sound of camera clicking and realized that my assistant is clicking photographs.
I tried to force out a smile, as the Malabar Giant Squirrel doesn’t use nail cutters. 🙂 I was getting scratches on my hand and neck. Just to protect my neck, I moved my hand. I guess it was more of involuntary reaction.
The kids were now excited and had come close to me and were shouting. One of them tried to grab the Malabar Giant Squirrel but it made some angry noise and the kids ran away. I slowly sat down on the ground, as its claws were digging deep into the skin. I knew that quickly I need to get some antiseptic. The Malabar Giant Squirrel probably got a hint as I tried to lie down on the ground, so it came down on the ground.
The kids again tried to come closer and again the Malabar Giant Squirrel this time climbed up the tree. It perhaps had enough of humans and moved high up into the tree.
I sat down on the ground for a while and then the enormity of the situation dawned on me. I was happy that a wild animal which is primarily arboreal had come down and climbed upon me discarding all its fears of human beings. I felt blessed.
If you have any comments and questions about Wild India | A Close Encounter, then you can ask by commenting below.
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Sabyasachi, great composure shown. That must be a priceless experience. Very well documented. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Atul!
I was a bit careful as it is a wild animal and will act on the basis of its instincts.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Hi Sabyasachi,
An old comment from you on one of my posts brought me back to your page.. and am I more amazed ever to see your work.. I must say that I am in complete awe of what you have been doing with that small but very powerful equipment with a lens..
Am glad that I visited your site and will make sure that I do that more than often from now on..
Do include me in the mail list of your newsletter!!
Cheers & God bless..
Manav
Hi Manav,
Thanks for your appreciation. I will include you the newsletter mailing list.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Ooohh… I felt goosebumps.. Its a kind of magnificent feeling when actually an animal that too a very short one feels you so close and trusts you.. Its so warm… Excellent.. The way of your narration made me visualise the happening actually.. Kudos Sabyasachi…
Thanks Harikrishna!
I am happy that you liked it. I had written it down on my notebook that day and just typed it today. I remember every scene of that. God is kind.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
What an awesome creature. Great job!
Thanks Shovon for your encouraging words.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
WowWowWow!!!! That was absolutely amazing Sabyasachi!!
I have no words. I was just thinking of your final statements … It says everything : I sat down on the ground for a while and then the enormity of the situation dawned on me. I was happy that a wild animal which is primarily arboreal had come down and climbed upon me discarding all its fears of human beings. I felt blessed.
I too felt blessed when I read this. Thanks again.
Thanks Nandan!
That was an amazing feeling. I am really happy that I you felt connected. I now feel that the purpose of my telling this unique experience got fulfilled.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
excellent capture!! loved the close up of the squirrel… amazing!
Really,it seems the squirrel knew of your love for animals–even they have sixth sense.
Hi Indu,
I had read in one book of Swami Rama titled “In Search of Himalayan Masters” that when he was doing meditation on the banks of river Cauvery, some hunters from bangalore found that crocodiles were lying within three or four feet all around him and they had taken the pictures and printed in newspapers. That led to people who matter finding him and making him the Sankaracharya of Kanchi. In that he has mentioned that animals can make out whether a person is going to harm them or not. When someone is doing meditation, animals do come closer. Lest I be misunderstood, I am a mere mortal and the only reason for stating this is that animals can understand motives either through our non-verbal communication or may be sixth sense. In this case, I was not doing meditation. I can just say that I am blessed to have such an experience.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Waaaaaaaaa… It’s on your camera 😉
Awesome. When I saw the “share ” from Subhorup Dasgupta, before I read the details, I guessed it was yours.
Great one.Liked it very much.
I agree with you totally-the pics are astounding,living proof of what you say & do.
Exciting…. lovely explanations… feeling the bless that you felt 🙂
Extraordinary. I am seeing it for first time.
HI ,
First of all I would like to thank you on giving your readers an opportunity to know such beautiful creature…I wish to have such an experience some day….Thanks for visiting and commenting …
DO VISIT AGAIN ..
Regards
Bhavik shah
Nice writings
They are really big, almost like a small dog. I like the pictures you have taken,
Hi Shalu,
The Malabar Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica)It has a long bushy tail and that nearly doubles its size. The weight should be around 2kgs + with young ones weighing much less. They jump from one tree branch to another and are quiet fast in the canopy. That helps them in evading from predators like birds of prey, leopards and even Lion-tailed Macaques. I am happy that you liked it.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
My respectful complements on your post… The squirrel moving around you is enough to qualify you as true human being, lover of life in every way. Thanks and best wishes.
Remi
I am humbled by your comment. With the intelligence that God has given to us human beings, I hope we should put it to good use to save our earth by conserving our wildlife and wilderness areas and in-turn saving ourselves.
Guess what, that squirrel was a photography aficionado in its previous life!
Ha ha ha. Enjoyed your comment. As Hindus we do believe in Karma and rebirth. I guess, these days we don’t give too hoots about being reborn else we would not be devastating our nature and environment. Even if we are born again as human beings, the world would be too bad with hardly any good air to breathe or water that is fit enough to drink.
not only a nice writeup –but the fact that the squirrel decided to be near you and with you is a great feat accomplished by you —-lovely pics
Hi Rajni,
Thanks. I am happy that you liked it. Frankly speaking, I would not consider this as a accomplishment. I feel honoured and blessed that an animal has reposed faith in me. This is why, my passion for wildlife has now become all encompassing.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Wonderful captures there! Nature bestows such beauty yet we miss it by large in our boring hectic life’s 🙂 Pathetic isn’t it! 🙁 The squirel shot was just amazing!
Hi Tanya,
Thanks. I am happy that you like the images. When we take a break from our hectic lifestyle and go to the forests, it gives us sufficient time to relax and recuperate and more importantly it gives us a fresh perspective.
That’s an encounter to remember! Wow!!
Do you have any of the pictures that the squirrel shot? 🙂
Great pictures as always. Love the third one (quite a portrait), especially.
Thanks a lot. I will upload a few more images later.
Wow, Sabyasachi, no doubt this was a unique experience – it doesn’t happen with everyone! You are indeed blessed.
Fantastic Narration, got feel of being there!
Unforgetteble moment & experience for you.
I think That Malabar Giant Squirrel must knew that you are wildlife conservator, doing great work for their conservation, so he/she may came to you to give you ‘Jadu ki Jhappi’
for your devotion!
I spotted a similar one @ thirunelli,wayanad on oct 3rd 2012. Could not get a close up. After going through your post , realized its a malabar giant squirrel.
Thanks to you.
Wonderful experience, Sabyasachi. Wish some one could have taken a video of the incidence.
Hi,
This was before DSLRs got the ability to do video. And at that time I was not into filming. So no videos.
Absolutely marvellous pictures
Its fantastic or even i can say life time experince to see
or even touch a rare and beautiful animal in the wild.
Thanks for sharing
Wow… This is a “Visa cant buy – priceless” moment… Awesome pics…
That’s a great piece of work. Fortunately enough, you had an assistant that too, with a camera. I can relate to this incident of yours, where, one baby monkey used to have some peanuts from my hand, on a daily basis. That monkey used to call me with his typical sound whenever he used to reach my balcony. The feeling of a wild animal trusting you, is simply divine.
Dear Sabyasachi – Watching you and the animal took me back to my childhood days when we used to “hunt” puppies – once we identified their ” adda”, that used to be our regular play place – we literally used to watch them grow – used to get scolding at home as we would never be walking empty handed – we all would have one in the hand all the time , cuddled 🙂
Even now, when i visit hometown, i “hunt” them – only difference is that now i take my kids with me to hold one in hand ! hahaha
That must have been a ” moment” for you !
Take care..Joy
Reminds me of a Malabar Giant squirrel in Mudumalai Sanctuary some years back . A baby squirrel had been hand-reared by some local tribals . On reaching adulthood it took to the forest .But apparently( and unfortunately ) it never got over its familiarity with human beings . . . and would often come down from the forest trees and take titbits from the hands of tourists . After some years it was never seen again . Rumour has it that some people came in a car , coaxed the squirrel in and . . . No human being should ever , ever imprint on a wild creature, in the process of rescue/rehabilitation . In the case of the squirrel you encountered, thankfully it seems to be wary of children .Hopefully it will develop the same caution/fear towards all humans – and live for many many free in the wild .
Hi Arun,
Sad to hear about the incident in Mudumalai. The rescue and rehabilitation centres abroad while dealing with baby animals and birds wear clothes to appear as the same species as the animal or bird being rescued/trained so that there is no biological imprinting. This animal didn’t appear to be hand reared as it was aggressive with the kids making them run away. It was curious and was nibbling my camera strap. These kind of close encounters happen rarely, however, I am always concerned as the slightest of our movements might be construed as aggressive by the animal. I hadn’t shared this incident for a long time because of the fear that after reading this people may start trying to touch wild animals and that would be disastrous. Especially since these days wildlife photography has become a fad and many people venture out into the wild even without the slightest of knowledge of animal behaviour.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Sabyasachi….you are truly blessed to have an experience like this!
Thanks Kaustuv!
God is kind.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Sabyasachi, I had seen the Malabar squirrel at Berijam lake. So when I started reading the article, I was thinking, why the fuss!! But when I finished reading your article and all the comments, I am perfectly minnowed. It was truly overwhelming. Comments apart, your mention of Swami Rama is worth an exhibition of your calm, quiet and humbleness, which (as another reader mentioned) was felt by the squirrel. Heartfully, you are actually blessed. I don’t think I will ever have this kind of experience in my life.
Hi Atish,
Thanks a lot. I think we are all blessed. The problem is we forget to count our blessings. We always aim for something and keep on frowning about it. We fail to realise that we could have been in a worse situation than we are in at present. We pass through several phases in our life. Who knows who will get what kind of experience and when. May be you will have even better experience than this.
Hindu philosophy says that there is divinity in every living creature and object. You would be interested to know that Swami Rama has written in his book that once while wandering in the Himalaya he saw a very beautiful flower which he had never seen before. On an impulse he plucked it. Then he felt that as if the flower was telling him that the flower hadn’t done any harm to him so why did he pluck the flower. I think it is important that we be conscious about the impact of our actions, howsoever small those might be. I am sure the world will be a better place if we don’t display fear and hatred towards other species.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Dear Sabyasachi,
I saw this post pretty late, after a year, but I must admit that you are a lucky soul. Never saw anyone “hand-holding” a MGS. Congratulations for experiencing this once in a life time event. Lovely images and great narration as always.
Hi Sabyasachi,
I’m moved by reading this and I dont know why, but something brought tears in my eyes. When you said “U FELT BLESSED”…..These days I’m lost and out of my mind; I just wanna get lost somewhere devoid of humans. That’s why I was googling & came across your articles. The way of your narration takes me to where I need to be…..even if it’s a temporary feeling!!! Destiny brought me into the business line for a living, but my mind always revolves around the thought of nature/making trips to our WESTERN GHATS/the WILD LIFE….but I couldn’t, and That’s the sad part! Include me in your mail list, please…..
What a beautiful story! Thank you so much!
My son and I visited Nagarhole in 2010. I wish that we’d seen one of these gorgeous animals. I’m glad you didn’t become too scared when it inspected you up close. Your assistant’s photos will be treasured forever!