Irrawaddy squirrel

Irrawaddy squirrel

Hoary-bellied himalayan squirrel

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Callosciurus pygerythrus

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

Appearance

Irrawaddy squirrels vary in fur color, some squirrels being greyish-brown and reddish-brown, with some squirrels being grizzled. Some squirrels have dark tips of 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

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms

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 a number of types of forests, including deciduous broad-leaved woodland, coniferous evergreen forests, mixed agricultural areas, and secondary growth forests. They can live in lowlands and lower mountainous regions, at around 1500 meters. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

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

References

1. Irrawaddy squirrel Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrawaddy_squirrel
2. Irrawaddy squirrel on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3604/22253451

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