Squirrels of the World

150 Callosciurus prevostii

natural history: At the Krau Wildlife Reserve (Pahang,
Malaysia), the population density of Prevost’s squirrels was
38 individuals/100 ha. The squirrels are most active in the
early morning and late afternoon. They are usually arbo-
real, but they descend to the ground to cross gaps between
trees. At the Krau Wildlife Reserve, the squirrels spend most
of their time in the middle and upper parts of the canopy, at
heights usually ranging from 6 m to more than 37 m above
the forest fl oor. Their diet includes seeds (approximately
60%), fruit pulp (20%, with fi gs making up 10% of this), bark
and sap (10%), leaves and sprouts (5%), and fl owers (approxi-
mately 2%). They especially favor fruits with a sweet or oily
fl esh, and they will extract insects (including termites and
beetle larvae) from dead wood. The squirrels frequently re-
move seeds and fruits from a fruiting tree and carry them
elsewhere. The reasons for this behavior are not clear, and
may be from several causes. Occasionally the squirrels
cache fruits away from the source tree. They also transport
fruits to feed juveniles, and they probably carry fruit to
more protected areas before feeding on it themselves. Un-
like some other species of Callosciurus, they usually drop the
seeds after feeding on the fruits.

general references: Becker et al. 1985; Heaney 1978; J. B.
Payne 1980.

Callosciurus pygerythrus

(I. Geoff roy Saint-Hilaire, 1831)

Irrawaddy Squirrel

description: These squirrels have a dark olive brown dor-

sal pelage. Their front legs, feet, and tail are grayer than the

dorsal pelage; and the tail has a black tip. A cream or ochra-

ceous buff hip patch appears seasonally. The ventral pelage is

bluish gray, transitioning into a cream and orange buff color-

ation. The pelage varies seasonally, being brighter and with a

hip patch during the wet season in the summer, and duller

and without a hip patch during the dry season in the winter.

size: Female—HB 189.2 mm (n = 17); T 175.1 mm (n = 16).

Male—HB 187.5 mm (n = 22); T 168.5 mm (n = 22).

Sex not stated—HB 203.2 mm (n = 5); T 150.0 (n = 1); Mass

252.0 g (n = 1).

distribution: This species occurs through Nepal, Bhutan,

and northeast India to Myanmar, northern Vietnam, and

Xizang (China).

geographic variation: Seven subspecies are recognized.

C. p. pygerythrus—between the Sittang and Irrawaddy rivers

(Myanmar). This form is cinnamon rufous ventrally;

Callosciurus prevostii. Photo courtesy Jesse Cohen, Smithso n-
ian Institution’s National Zoo.

http://www.ebook3000.com