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.