Based on an ethnozoological study carried out from December 2018 to November 2019, this paper attempts to document the usage of squirrel species for various purposes by the Adi, Idu Mishmi, Miju Mishmi, Tangsa, Chakma and Monpa tribe living near the villages adjoining the protected areas located in the districts of East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Dibang Valley, Lohit, Changlang and West Kameng of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The paper also describes the use of certain squirrel species as a part of their traditional culture and lists their names in English, Vernacular and Latin names. The study has led to an understanding that eight squirrel species are used by the tribes for cultural, food and medicinal purposes. This work contributes to ethnozoological research by describing a knowledge system of squirrel species use and the association of squirrel species with the cultural believes of the tribes.

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In India, the Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana occurs in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. In this communication, we describe the single sighting of foraging and storing of grass by Himalayan Marmots in the eastern Himalayan landscape of western Arunachal Pradesh and address the threats that we noticed. Though the species occur in different areas of India, no systematic work has been done till now to assess their population status and distribution, let alone in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.