Squirrel: facts, danger and how to survive it
Lives in the trees and chatters at anything it sees. It climbs out of reach when it is scared.
About the real animal
The squirrels of southern India are two very different animals. The Indian palm squirrel is the small, striped one: three pale stripes down a grey-brown back, a tail about as long as its body, and a habit of living near people. The Malabar giant squirrel is a forest animal of the Western Ghats, with a deep maroon back, a pale belly and a long chestnut tail. It spends nearly its whole life in the canopy, leaping across gaps of several metres between trees, and builds large round nests of leaves high up. Both eat fruit, seeds, bark and sometimes insects, and both chatter loudly at anything they think is a threat.
In the game
Squirrels live in the trees of mixed and pine forest. There are two kinds in the game: the common striped palm squirrel and the larger, rarer giant squirrel. When a squirrel sees you it scolds, and the noise can alert other animals nearby. If you chase it, it climbs a trunk out of reach. A squirrel is not much meat, but a snare near trees or a quick arrow will catch one. Sitting up with its paws to its mouth means it is eating and has not noticed you.
Quick facts
| Found in | pine forest, mixed woodland, meadows |
|---|---|
| Active | by day |
| Eats | plants |
| Strength | 3 health |
| Speed | walks at 1.2 m/s, runs at 7 m/s (you walk at 4 m/s and sprint at 7.5 m/s) |
| Yields | 1 meat |
What to do
Little meat. Its chatter warns other animals too.
More from this group
- 🐇RabbitA small grazer that lives in groups and hides in the grass.
- 🐦Forest birdsFlocks of small birds.
- 🐓Red junglefowlThe wild ancestor of the farmyard chicken.
Back to all animals, or read the survival guide.