Thai National Parks

Species of Thailand

Plantain squirrel

Callosciurus notatus, Pieter Boddaert, 1785

The plantain squirrel, oriental squirrel or tricoloured squirrel, Callosciurus notatus is a species of rodents in the family Sciuridae found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in a wide range of habitats: forests, mangroves, parks, gardens, and agricultural areas. Fruit farmers consider them to be pests.

Its body is about 20–30 cm long with a similar-sized tail. It is greyish/brown with a chestnut belly and a black and white stripe between the two. The genus name Callosciurus means beautiful squirrels.

Its diet consists mostly of leaves and fruits, but it also eats insects and bird eggs. It is known to break open twigs that contain ant larvae to eat them. It can eat fruits much bigger than itself, such as mangoes, jackfruit, or coconuts. It is very quick and agile in trees, able to jump a few metres between trees, and rarely wanders on the ground.

Kloss's squirrel (Callosciurus albescens) is sometimes considered a subspecies.

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Scientific classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Sciuridae
Genus
Callosciurus
Species
Callosciurus notatus

Conservation status

Least Concern (iucn3.1)

Least Concern (iucn3.1)

Photos

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Callosciurus notatus

Copyright Robby Lee

Callosciurus notatus

Range Map

Distribution map of Plantain squirrel, Callosciurus notatus in Thailand
  • Bang Lang National Park
  • Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
  • Thale Ban National Park
  • Yaring District, Pattani
Range map of Callosciurus notatus in Thailand