Irrawaddy squirrel

Irrawaddy squirrel
Nagarjun Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Sciuridae
Genus:	Callosciurus
Species:	C. pygerythrus
Binomial name
Callosciurus pygerythrus (I. Geoffroy, 1832)
Subspecies
C. p. pygerythrus C. p. blythii C. p. janetta C. p. lokroides C. p. mearsi C. p. owensi C. p. stevensi

The Irrawaddy squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus) or hoary-bellied Himalayan squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae.

Description

Irrawaddy squirrels vary in fur color, with some squirrels being greyish-brown and reddish-brown, and some squirrels being grizzled. Some squirrels have dark tips on their tails and pale hip patches. Its head to body length is about 20 centimeters and its tail length is about 20 centimeters as well. Irrawaddy squirrels weigh approximately 45 grams.

Distribution

It is native to Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Most squirrels that live in Myanmar live west of the Irrawaddy River. Irrawaddy squirrels can live in several types of forests, including deciduous broad-leaved woodland, coniferous evergreen forests, mixed agricultural areas, and secondary growth forests. They can also live in lowlands and lower mountainous regions, at around 1500 meters. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Diet

Irrawaddy squirrels mainly eat nuts, seeds, fruits, bark, lichen, and various types of vegetation, however, they may occasionally eat insects and small vertebrates.

Gallery

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  (Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, West Sikkim, India, 29.10.2015)
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