The Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum), or three-striped palm squirrel, is a small, agile rodent native to southern India and Sri Lanka. The palm squirrel is about the size of a large chipmunk, with a bushy tail slightly shorter than its body. It is easily identified by the three conspicuous white stripes running along its grizzled, grey-brown back. These stripes are famously linked to a Hindu legend where Lord Rama caressed the squirrel’s back as a reward for its help building the bridge to Lanka, leaving behind his finger marks. They are omnivores, feeding on fruits, nuts, and even bird eggs. Unlike many other squirrels, they do not hibernate.