Activity budget and feeding patterns of the Red Giant Gliding Squirrel (<i>Petaurista petaurista</i>, Pallas 1766) in the Eastern Himalayan rainforest of India

Abstract Limited research appears on the Red Giant Gliding Squirrel ( Petaurista petaurista ) in general and the current study presents the first comprehensive analysis of its activity patterns, feeding behaviour, and food selection of the species in the tropical rainforests of Indian Eastern Himalayas. Surprisingly, the Red Giant Gliding Squirrel exhibited a predominantly frugivorous diet in the current study and deviates from the previously documented florivorous tendencies of Asian gliding squirrels, emphasising the crucial role of the local ecological context in understanding dietary patterns within mammals. When it comes to activity budget, the species spent the majority of the time in feeding followed by resting and travelling. The majority of the activity happened to be in the terminal canopy of the trees.