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Description: Helagalli village in the Ramanagara district, Karnataka. This squirrel is found in abundance in the forests outside this village. This animal is completely vegetarian.

The grizzled giant squirrel is found in the highlands of the coastal forests of the Kaveri River and the hill forests of the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This squirrel has listed species as near threatened due to habitat loss and hunting. These squirrels are the smallest of the giant squirrels found in the Indian subcontinent. They are so named because of the white hair that covers their greyish-brown bodies, making them appear brown. These squirrels are diurnal and arboreal animals. They rarely come to land to avoid predators, run away from intruders and have good vision, which helps them detect predators. However, their hearing ability is relatively weak. During the day, these squirrels are often seen sleeping spread out on a branch in an eagle-like position. They are generally solitary and are seen alone or in pairs. These squirrels are very vocal and have very distinct calls. Their calls are intermittent and continuously shrill with a high-pitched sound. It is usually pronounced in the morning and evening.

A low "churr" is also used to communicate with nearby groups. In general, brown giant squirrels are very wary and hide well in dense vegetation.