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Northern Palm Squirrel
Funambulus pennantii
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderRodentia (Rodents)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusFunambulus (Palm Squirrels)
- SpeciesFunambulus pennantii (Northern Palm Squirrel)
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
74 Verified sightings at Keoladeo National Park From 2019 to 2026
139 In all 4 parks
January Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted
About the Northern Palm Squirrel
The northern palm squirrel (Funambulus pennantii), also called the five-striped palm squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is a semi-arboreal species found in tropical and subtropical dry deciduous forests and many other rural and urban habitats. It is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
It is found in the Andaman Islands, Nicobar Islands (where it was introduced), India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Iran. In India, it is fairly common in urban areas, even in large cities such as Delhi and Kolkata. Two subspecies, Funambulus pennantii argentescens and Funambulus pennantii lutescens, were suggested by Wroughton in addition to the nominate race; however, more recent workers do not make this distinction. Wikipedia →
Sounds
Alarm call1:22
India · 1989
© Jelle Scharringa · XC1025104 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Uncertain0:12
India · 2025
© Nick Talbot · XC1063033 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Recording0:35
Pakistan · 2023
© Jawad Hasan · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Northern Palm Squirrel in Keoladeo National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Bandhavgarh National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jerusalem Biblical Zoo | 🇮🇱 Israel | |
| 2 | Jijamata Udyaan | 🇮🇳 India |
Closest Relatives at Keoladeo National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Northern Palm Squirrel in Keoladeo National Park?
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Palm Squirrel sighting in Keoladeo National Park on a given day, based on 74 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 10 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Northern Palm Squirrel in Keoladeo National Park?
January–February and October
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Palm Squirrel in Keoladeo National Park on a given day, against about 20% in April and July, the lowest months. Those are among Keoladeo National Park's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain a month against 240 mm in July. May and June have too few records to rate.
What time of day is best to see a Northern Palm Squirrel?
Between 5 and 8 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Palm Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Is Keoladeo National Park the best place to see a Northern Palm Squirrel?
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Northern Palm Squirrel sightings, Keoladeo National Park has the highest daily chance: about 60%. Next come Ranthambore National Park (India, about 50%) and Bandhavgarh National Park (India, about 30%). All parks ranked.
Where does the Northern Palm Squirrel sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Palm Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Keoladeo National Park (74 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
