Prevost’s Squirrel

ANIMAL:
Prevost’s Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii

Type of Animal:
Squirrel

Habitat:
Forests, cultivated areas, gardens, plantations

Location(s):
Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, nearby smaller islands. Introduced to N Sulawesi.

Appearance:
Top of head/back/tail jet-black or brown, reddish-brown to reddish-orange to rich rufous underbelly, white line separates 2 colors, flat tail, whitish thighs/flanks, grey to grey-white cheeks, subspecies in N, C, & E Borneo have grey or olive-green thighs, orange cheeks, grizzled/olive-grey upperparts, grey to grey-banded tail, most subspecies tricolored, 4 subspecies from Banggi, N Sumatra, NE Borneo, & Labuan dark & bicolored w/ black tail/thighs/cheeks & rich rufous below

Food/Diet:
Fruits, nuts, seeds, buds, flowers, insects, insect larvae, eggs, small birds, vegetables, greens, reptiles, legumes

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Breeding in zoos & wildlife centers

Lifestyle:
Solitary, male-female pairs, or family groups of a female or female-male pair w/ 1-3 sets of offspring (usually singlets or twins, sometimes triplets or quadruplets).

Additional Info:

Called:
Male: Buck/Boar
Female: Doe/Sow
Young: Kit
Group: Pair
 
Weight:
Adult: 11 oz
Young: 2.4 oz

Gestation:
5-7 weeks 

Life Span:
10 years in wild, 15 years in captivity

Body Length:
8-11 in

Tail Length:
3-10 in

Main predators are carnivorous mammals, raptors, snakes, monitor lizards, crocodilians, & hornbills.
 
Highly arboreal rarely coming to the ground.
 
Sharp claws well adapted for clinging to tree trunks.
 
Tail helps animals balance while running/climbing as well as acting as rudders when jumping.
 
Born naked, toothless, & helpless w/ eyes closed, becoming fully furred at 6 weeks old.
 
Females can produce up to 3 sets of offspring a year.
 
Active during day (diurnal), though sometimes crepuscular (active at dawn/dusk).
 
Rest in tree hollows or on tree branches in nests made of leaves & twigs.
 
Though stable, habitat loss, wildlife trade, & persecution by farmers potential threats.
 
They have excellent vision.
 
When eating, they squat on haunches holding food in front paws.
 
Vocalizations include birdlike sounds, harsh alarm calls, trilling, & whistling.

Fun Fact(s):
Due to diet, play important role in seed dispersal.
 
Like most rodents, teeth never stop growing.
 
Also called Asian Tricolored Squirrel, Beautiful Squirrel, & Ornamental Squirrel due to colors. One of most colorful of all squirrel species.
 
Due to tropical climate they come from, they don’t hibernate.
 
Can leap 8-10 ft between branches.