The Largest Squirrels in the World

We usually think of squirrels as small rodents with big bushy tails. They can be found on all of the inhabited continents in the world, except for Australia. Generally speaking, there are three types of squirrels: ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and flying squirrels. However, because the family Sciuridae includes over 280 species divided into 52 genera and 5 subfamilies, this article will focus only on tree squirrels. Taking into account both length (including the tail) and weight, here are the largest tree squirrels in the world.

10. Forest Giant Squirrel

The forest giant squirrel (Protoxerus stangeri) is the largest tree squirrel in Africa. These squirrels are mostly solitary creatures that feed on fruits and seeds from trees. Forest giant squirrels typically have short, rigid brown fur, and the individual hairs have a black base and black tip. Their chests are white, and the underparts are almost hairless, revealing yellowish skin. They have wide, bushy tails, often as long as their bodies. These squirrels grow to around 2 feet in length and weigh about 1.4 pounds.

9. Southern Amazon Red Squirrel

Southern Amazon red squirrels (Sciurus spadiceus) are found across northwestern South America in forest areas east of the Andes Mountains. Although they are often found in the forest canopy, these squirrels are known to spend a significant amount of time on the ground. They primarily feed on hard-shelled nuts, which they cache on the ground. These squirrels typically have reddish-brown fur with pale underparts and very long, bushy tails. They grow to around 2 feet in length and can weigh up to 1.45 pounds.

8. Peter’s Squirrel

Native to Mexico, Peter’s squirrel (Sciurus oculatus) has a wide range and is commonly seen during warmer months. These squirrels prefer pine and oak forests. They primarily eat acorns, pine seeds, and tree nuts, but may also eat fruit and other seeds. Peter’s squirrels are typically greyish-brown with hairs that are darker at the base. They have pale chests and bellies and a pale ring around the eyes. Their bushy tails are dark with white tips. Peter’s squirrels can grow to 1.8 feet in length and weigh around 1.65 pounds.

7. Abert’s Squirrel

Abert’s squirrels (Sciurus aberti) are native to the mountainous regions of the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. They prefer mature pine forests and feed primarily on seeds, cones, buds, and the inner bark of trees. Unlike other North American squirrels, Abert’s squirrel does not store food. Instead, they rely on the trees for food and shelter. They have dark gray coloration, with fluffy tails and long, tufted ears. These squirrels also have striking pale underparts and a rusty brown streak of hair down their backs. They can reach 1.9 feet long and weigh up to 2.1 pounds.

6. Western Grey Squirrel

Western grey squirrels (Sciurus griseus) are found on the West Coast of the U.S. from Washington to California. They have silvery grey fur on their backs with white bellies and throats. These squirrels also have very long, bushy tails that are grey and tipped with white. Western grey squirrels favor pine and oak trees, but may nest in Douglas fir if pine or oak trees are nearby. Their diet primarily consists of acorns, seeds, nuts, berries, tree buds, leaves, and twigs. They can reach 2 feet long, with their tails accounting for half of their length. These large-bodied squirrels can weigh up to 2.06 pounds.

5. Fox Squirrel

The largest tree squirrels in the Sciurus genus are the fox squirrels (Sciurus niger). They are native to North America and can be found in southern Canada, the eastern and central U.S., and northern Mexico. They prefer mixed forests with a variety of nut-producing trees. In addition to nuts, the omnivorous fox squirrel also feeds on seeds, grain, fruit, flowers, bird eggs, and insects. These squirrels have buff to reddish-orange fur, bushy tails, and ear tufts in the winter. They can reach about 2.3 feet in length and weigh up to 3 pounds.

4. Grizzled Giant Squirrel

The grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura) is the smallest of the giant squirrels, growing to about 3 feet long and weighing up to 2.9 pounds. They can be found in Sri Lanka and Southern India in hilly forests and highlands, but can also be found in forests along rivers. These squirrels rarely leave the trees and are said to be able to leap nearly 20 feet from tree to tree. Grizzled giant squirrels have fur in shades of red, grey, brown, and black, with lighter underparts. Both their fur and tails can have white flecks, giving them a grizzled appearance. Their tails hang down rather than arching over their backs. They primarily consume nuts, fruits, bird eggs, insects, and some tree bark.

3. Cream-Colored Giant Squirrel

Cream-colored giant squirrels (Ratufa affinis), also known as pale giant squirrels, are found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the surrounding islands. They have orange to brown fur on their backs with white fur on their underparts. They also have darker tails and pale cheeks. Their tails do not curve over their backs, but instead, they use them for balance while eating. These squirrels prefer the upper canopy of the forest, but will occasionally forage on the ground. They typically eat shrubs, as well as flowering and fruiting plants. Cream-colored giant squirrels can reach around 3 feet in length and weigh up to 3.4 pounds.

2. Black Giant Squirrel

Black giant squirrels (Ratufa bicolor), or Malayan giant squirrels, inhabit heavily forested regions of Southeast Asia, China, and the Indian subcontinent. They have dark brown to black fur on their backs. They have tan fur on their chests and bellies and on the back half of their heads. The tips of their tails may also sometimes be tan. Their tails, which are used to aid in stability and balance, lie limp and do not curve over their backs. They can reach over 3 feet in length and weigh up to 3.4 pounds. These squirrels make their nests high in the forest canopy, but they have been observed on the ground foraging for fruit and nuts.

1. Indian Giant Squirrel

Indian giant squirrels (Ratufa indica), also known as Malabar giant squirrels, can be found in the forests of India. Their colorful coats can include a variety of combinations of white, cream, light yellow, tan, rust, reddish-brown, maroon, dark brown, or black, depending on the subspecies. They have long, dark, bushy tails that are essential for maintaining balance as they leap through the trees. These squirrels spend most of their time high in the forest canopy. Their diet includes seeds, fruit, flowers, and tree bark. The Indian giant squirrel undoubtedly lives up to its name, at upwards of 3 feet long and weighing up to 4.4 pounds.