The Indian giant squirrel found in the Sahyadri mountains, a new spider species named after Mumbai policeman Tukaram Ombale who captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab during the 26/11 attack, featured in the tableau of Maharashtra that was part of the Republic Day parade on Wednesday.

The Maharashtra tableau depicted five bio-diversity symbols of the state that include the state animal 'Shekru' or the Indian giant squirrel, the state bird 'Hariyal', state butterfly 'Blue Mormon', state flower 'Jarul' and the state tree 'Mango'.  The front part of the tableau depicted an eight-feet high model of the Blue Mormon butterfly with a wing span of six feet, and a 15-feet model of 'Shekru' on a tree branch was the other highlight of the float that rolled down the Rajpath.