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Plantain Squirrel
Callosciurus notatus
Oriental/Tricoloured Squirrel

These agile squirrels are a beautiful greyish brown, with a chestnut belly and a black-and-white line between the two. In fact, their genus name Callosciurus means Beautiful Squirrels and the genus includes some of the most colourful mammals.

Plantain Squirrels eat mainly fruits and nuts but also snack on insects and other titbits that they come across including birds eggs. They have been known to break open antplants to eat the ant larvae.
Mangrove and wetland wildlife at
Sungei Buloh Nature Park
Main features: Small; head and body 20-25cm, tail about the same length.

Status in Singapore: Common in a wide range of habitats.

World distribution: Malay peninsula, Indonesia, Borneo, Sulawesi.

Classification: Family Sciuridae (squirrels), Order Rodentia (rodents).
squirrel
Plantain Squirrels forage mostly in trees and undergrowth and rarely come to the ground. They are active during the day, more so in the morning and evening. They rest in hollow trees and some construct a nest out of leaves and twigs, in tree branches or large bushes.

Like other squirrels, they scamper energetically among the undergrowth and trees. To do this, they have good eyesight, sharp claws and a long counterbalancing tail. Plantain Squirrels are very quiet, and often the first sign of their presence is a quick movement seen from the corner of your eye!

Role in the habitat: Plantain Squirrels disperse plants by eating their fruits. But they are considered a pest by fruit farmers and coconut plantation owners.

Status and threats: Plantain Squirrels are fairly common because they have adapted to humans. They are often found in gardens, parks and agricultural areas.

LINKS REFERENCES
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Nature's Niche
  • Jane Whitten and photos by Alain Compost, "Tropical Wildlife of Malaysia and Southeast Asia", Periplus Editions, 1998 (p. 36-37: snippets, photos).
  • Ronald M Nowak, "Walker's Mammals of the World", Johns Hopkins University Press, 5th edition, 1991 (p. 598-600: general facts about the genus Callosciurus (Beautiful Squirrels) with some details about Plantain Squirrels).
 
By Ria Tan, 2001