Prevost’s Squirrel
Fast Facts
What do they look like?
Prevost’s squirrels are a strikingly-colored species, typically with black backs from the
nose to tail, a chestnut-colored belly, and white-striped sides. Different subspecies
have some variations in their coloring. Their body is 7-10 inches long, and their bushy
tail is of a similar length. Like all rodents, they have a pair of strong incisors which
grow continuously throughout their lives and are worn down by gnawing on tough
foods. They have bulbous eyes which are adapted to vertical vision, peering intently
up and down tree trunks as they climb.
How do they behave?
Common Name: Prevost’s
Squirrel, Asian Tri-Colored Squirrel
Scientific Name: Callosciurus
prevosti
Family: Sciuridae
Order: Rodentia
Class: Mammalia
Range: Southeast Asia
Primarily arboreal, they spend most of their time high in the trees of forests.
Prevost’s squirrels are diurnal, most active during the day, and spend most of their
time foraging for food. They are very agile climbers and can leap 8-10 feet between
branches! Prevost’s squirrels communicate with each other with a variety of vocal
trills and whistles, along with shaking, waving, and twitching their tails.
What’s on the menu?
Prevost’s squirrels eat mainly fruit, nuts, seeds, flowers, and occasionally insects. At
the Zoo, they eat specialized pelleted food, fruit, vegetables, and seeds.
How are they born?
Prevost’s squirrels reach sexual maturity around one year of age. The female squirrel
builds a spherical nest from leaves and twigs, called a drey. Alternatively, she may line
the hollow of a tree with leaves. She bears a litter of one to four young after a
gestation period of around forty days, and may have up to three litters each year.
The young are born altricial (requiring nourishment): hairless, toothless, and with
their eyes closed. They grow and develop very quickly, cared for by the female, and
leave the nest at 6 to 8 weeks of age.
What should you know about them?
Squirrels are vital to the survival of the forests in their native range. They disperse
the seeds by carrying the fruit away from the tree, eating the flesh and then dropping
the seeds to the ground. This helps replant the trees, to create a healthy and diverse
forest. The Prevost’s squirrel is part of the genus Callosciurus, which means “the
beautiful squirrels” due to their striking coloration.
Habitat: Forests
Lifespan: 8-10 years in the wild;
10-15 years in captivity
Conservation Status: Lower Risk
What can you do to help?
Although Prevost’s squirrel populations are currently stable, habitat loss and
deforestation threaten this species’ future. To prevent habitat destruction, you can
help by buying wood that is sustainably harvested, coffee that is shade grown, and
produce that is grown locally. These products do not require the destruction of forest
land to grow crops.