The Northern Palm Squirrel is native to much of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Iran. It is common in urban and wooded areas. Thanks to Dr Harsha Vardhan Reddy for the photos above.

It is also called the 5-lined Palm Squirrel to distinguish it from the similar Indian Palm Squirrel which is also called the 3-lined. It has an extra off-white line on each flank which can sometimes be difficult to see. It also has a light line above and below each eye stretching to the ear, unlike the southern Indian which has a plainer face.

The Indian Palm Squirrel is native to the far south of India and to Sri Lanka. Thanks again to Dr Harsha Vardhan Reddy for the photo above. It is also called the 3-lined Palm Squirrel and the lack of the extra pale line on the flank can be seen. Less clear, however, is the plain face. Some Indian Palm Squirrels have a very faint facial line, not as clear as the two pale lines from ear to eye on the Northern species. Since their range overlaps in the far south of the country, there may be hybridism in the genes. The one shown has clear facial lines and may be a hybrid?