Meet the Indian Giant Squirrel, a creature that is almost too beautiful to be true (9 Pics)

John Koprowski, a squirrel specialist, couldn't believe his eyes when he first encountered a Malabar big squirrel, also known as an Indian gigantic squirrel.

When John was in India, he felt the animal looked more like a monkey than a squirrel because of its enormous size.

But the Malabar gigantic squirrel's size isn't the only thing that stands out; its fur color is also one-of-a-kind – Take a look at the incredible gallery below:

"These are massive creatures!" exclaims the narrator. At the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Koprowski is a professor and associate director.

In reality, it's just a huge squirrel, about twice the size of an eastern gray squirrel, and it's nothing like the squirrels we're used to seeing.

They come in a variety of hues, including black, brown, orange, maroon, and purple.

Maroon and purple hues are uncommon in animals, making it even more unique.

These vibrant colors and intricate patterns are not only attractive to the eye, but they also aid in their survival in the environment.

"The uneven colors and dark hues are a fantastic adaption to evade discovery in the shady understory of a thick forest," Koprowski added.

"However, when seen in the sunshine, they reveal their 'true hues' and lovely pelage [fur]."

Their food consists of fruit, flowers, nuts, and tree bark, according to Wikipedia. Some subspecies are omnivorous, consuming insects as well as the eggs of birds.'

Malabar gigantic squirrels are rarely seen on the ground, preferring to dwell high in the forest canopy, jumping and leaping from tree to tree, with jumps of up to 20 feet!

Thankfully, these adorable creatures aren't in danger of becoming extinct, but they will need to be safeguarded.

It's quite unlikely that you'll see one of these creatures in the wild.

You'd have to go not only to eastern or southern India, but also far into the woods.

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