The Irrawaddy squirrel (''Callosciurus pygerythrus'') or hoary-bellied Himalayan squirrel is a species of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

in the family

Sciuridae Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae (), a family that includes small or medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrel ...

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 The Irrawaddy River (, , Ayeyarwady) is the principal river of Myanmar, running through the centre of the country. Myanmar’s most important commercial waterway, it is about 1,350 miles (2,170 km) long. Originating from the confluence of the ...

. Irrawaddy squirrels can live in several types of forests, including

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

broad-leaved woodland,

coniferous Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

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.

References

Callosciurus Mammals of India Mammals of Bangladesh Mammals described in 1832 Taxa named by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Squirrel-stub