Trees for Indian Giant Flying Squirrels™

Why Trees?

With changing land use and developmental activities, biodiversity in low-lying areas faces a genuine threat. Habitat degradation, fragmentation, encroachment, anthropogenic pressure, and occasional poaching are major issues in the area. Poaching and habitat loss have been mentioned as the prime threats to the Giant Squirrel, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is due to habitat fragmentation, owing to the loss of trees, which has made locomotion difficult for the species and has resulted in the loss of shelter, thus, making them vulnerable to poaching. The plantation at the periphery will provide livelihood opportunities to the people, further preventing them from venturing into the forest and protecting the animals and their habitats. The Food and Agricultural Organisation also mentions the importance of Non-Timber Forest Products in the subsistence livelihoods practised by the local forest communities.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, some Indian Giant Flying Squirrels of tropical India and south-eastern Asia weigh 1 to 2.5 kg (2.2 to 5.5 pounds) and have a body length of about 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 inches) and a tail 35 to 64 cm long. Although these rodents do not fly, they glide up to 450 meters (almost 1,500 feet). The Indian Giant Flying Squirrel is a mammal that lives in tree cavities and tree canopies. The IUCN in 2008 described its population as "decreasing"; scientists have advocated planting trees to protect the species. Habitat loss and degradation resulting from logging, shifting cultivation, expansion of human settlements, and forest fires are considered to be threats for the survival of this species. We have, therefore, initiated this project for planting in areas adjacent to the Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary, which has a population of such squirrels.

According to B.K.Sharma's Faunal Heritage of Rajasthan, India (2013), “Elliot’s Giant Flying Squirrel has been recorded from dense forests of Phulwari, Sitamata, and Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuaries and avoids agricultural fields, grasslands, and human settlements. It is the next giant rodent after Porcupine in the state which was initially believed to be confined to Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary. Protection of old Mahuwa (Madhuca indica) groves and planting of new Mahuwa trees in the distribution range of flying squirrel and awareness programs in tribal zones have been suggested to protect this species.”
Their diet consists mainly of, but not limited to, fruits and leaves of ficus trees. They do not eat insects, but besides leaves and fruits, they also eat bark and flowers, making them extremely dependent on forest resources for their dietary needs. Since more light at the edge of forest results in more leaves, feeding is more common at the edge of a forest. The flying squirrels are found to be selective in their diet in Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary consuming 13 plant species and 8 plant parts in their summer diets. Mahua trees are the primary source of their feeding and have been planted as a part of this tree plantation initiative.

Tree Species

Neem (Azadirachta indica), Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), Babool (Acacia nilotica), Kher (Acacia catechu), Chural (Holoptelea integrifolia), karanj (Pongamia pinnata), Imli (Tamarindus indica), Baans (Dendrocalamus stricuts), Awla (Emblica officinalis), Khirni (Wrightia tinctoria), Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata), Kaliya (Albizia lebbeck), Seetaphal (Annona squamosa), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana), Sag (Tectona grandis), Baheda (Terminalia bellirica), Umar (Ficus recemosa) , Sehatut (Morus alba).

Social Impact

The arboreal and nocturnal species, listed in the IUCN Red list has been marked under concerned species and their conservation is important to conserve the diverse fauna of the country that contributes to the gene pool. The trees will provide proper habitat to the species, like food, shelter and the means of locomotion thereby helping in their conservation. 

Creating rural jobs, in remote areas where jobs are rare, in the nursery, planting and post-planting activity, amongst the tribal people, especially women. The 93,000 trees to be planted will create approximately 7,600 workdays of jobs in the nursery and planting activities alone. This will prevent the community to indulge in activities like poaching. Also, the involvement of the community during the plantation process will make them aware of the importance of the conservation of the natural habitat of the area. These trees will provide flowers, fruit, fodder, and fuel to rural communities and living creatures, improve water catchment, generate oxygen, reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, fight climate change, and benefit the Indian Giant Flying Squirrel, a species decreasing in numbers.

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