Grizzled giant squirrels are a threatened species of tree squirrels that make their home in the thick jungles of the Western Ghats in India. Virudhunagar District in Tamil Nadu, South India houses the Srivilliputur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary which falls under the purview of the State’s Forest Department.

The sanctuary is open for visitors all through the year and visits can be co ordianted with the Forest Department officials. Guest houses are available with the Department. Besides these accommodation can be easily looked up in the town of Srivilliputur.

For details and assistance on getting to the Grizzled squirrel wildlife sanctuary, check out the Forest Department’s website here.

Tamil Nadu Forest Department

The closest airport in reaching the sanctuary is Madurai and the closest railway station is Srivilliputur.

Here below are some tips to make your trip to the sanctuary most enjoyable.

1)Walk through the woods in the cool hours of the morning as the woods tend to be hot through the day. Going early has the added advantage of being able to spot animals and birds looking for food.

2) Wear footwear that suits the jungle terrain that is often uneven. Be prepared to walk through streams and puddles of water and make sure your footwear is suitable for this as well.

3)Carry a pair of binoculars to make it easy to see the squirrels that hardly come down from their homes on the trees.

4)Don’t forget to have a camera at hand to click pictures. Be prepared because you never know what you may see on your way!

5)Carry water and food to keep you from getting too exhausted.

6)Apply sun screen lotion and wear sun glasses and a cap to escape the heat.

7)Have a note pad and pen on hand to jot down interesting sights to refresh your memory later.

8)If possible read a book or two on the animals that live in these jungles to have an enriching experience in the wild.

9)Wear comfortable clothes that have no free flowing material that could get caught up in the plants.

10)Make sure to make as less noise as possible, walk lightly and appreciate nature without harming it!

Here are two books that might help.

Buy Western Ghats from Flipkart.com

Buy Handbook of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Biosphere Reserves in India from Flipkart.com