Tufted Ground Squirrel Rheithrosciurus macrotis

Tufted Ground Squirrel Rheithrosciurus macrotis

Vulnerable

Extant (resident)

Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia (Borneo).

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The tufted ground squirrel, or groove-toothed squirrel, is a striking nut-cracking rodent native to the island of Borneo. Sporting a voluminous, club-shaped tail, the tufted ground squirrel carries the largest tail-to-body size ratio of any mammal. Scientists believe the tail could serve to confuse predators or attract mates. They are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are threatened by deforestation, hunting, and forest conversion to palm oil. To protect these charismatic creatures, make sure you #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!

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Appearance & Behaviour

The tufted ground squirrel, or groove-toothed squirrel, is a striking nut-cracking rodent native to the island of Borneo. Weighing in at around 2 kg their bodies are overshadowed by a fluffy, charcoal-and-white frosted tail that’s 130% the volume of their body. Their head-and-body length is around 34 cm with a tail almost as long, bringing their total length to nearly 70 cm! They have the largest tail-to-body ratio of any animal on the planet.

Their sharp incisors feature 7-10 saw-like grooves that are perfect for cracking hard nuts. Their fur is primarily brown with a reddish tint, and they sport dramatic tufts of dark fur on their ears, giving them a striking appearance. They’re agile climbers and forage both on the forest floor and in the lower canopy.

• “Vampire Squirrel” myth is patently untrue: Though local folklore suggests that these squirrels attack deer from above to feast on their organs, researchers have yet to find scientific proof. Instead, they mostly munch on incredibly hard seeds, especially those from the Canarium tree.

Threats

• Deforestation: Conversion of their habitat into monoculture plantations like palm oil is a major threat.
• Logging: Out of control logging practices impact their primary forest habitat.
• Hunting and Trapping: Although not specifically targeted, these squirrels can become victims due to their ground-foraging habits.

You can help spread awareness about impacts of palm oil on these squirrels and 1000’s of other species. By using your wallet as a weapon every time you shop and being a part of the #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife you are taking an empowering step for them.

Habitat

Glimpsing Tufted Ground Squirrels in their natural home is exceedingly rate. They are found only on the island of Borneo and prefer dense lowland primary forests up to 1,100 meters in elevation. However, they will sometimes venture into secondary forests, orchards or smallholdings. They are elusive and not often seen, sometimes their fluffy tailed forms are captured by camera traps or chance sightings.

Diet

The tufted ground squirrel’s diet includes mostly hard seeds, particularly those of the Canarium tree. They also eat fruits, nuts, and insects, adapting to the available food sources in their forest habitat. Despite their sharp teeth, tales of their carnivorous nature have led to them being dubbed “vampire squirrels”, however these claims were subsequently discovered to be lacking in evidence. Their ultra sharp teeth give them the ability crack open even the toughest nuts.

Mating and breeding

Much remains unknown about the mating and reproduction of the tufted ground squirrel due to their elusive nature. Researchers hope that future studies using motion-activated cameras will uncover more details about their behaviour, including how their elaborate tail might play a role in courtship.

Support Tufted Ground Squirrel by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Animalia. (n.d.). Tufted ground squirrel: Groove-toothed squirrel. https://www.animalia.bio/tufted-ground-squirrel

Meijaard, E. 2016. Rheithrosciurus macrotis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T19474A22248783. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T19474A22248783.en. Accessed on 08 May 2024.

Pare, S. (2023, December 24). Tufted ground squirrel: The Borneo rodent once believed to disembowel deer and feast on their organs. https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/tufted-ground-squirrel-the-rodent-once-believed-to-disembowel-deer-and-feast-on-their-organs

Stokstad, E. (2015, September 2). ‘Vampire’ squirrel caught on film: Researchers in Borneo get first video of mammal with fluffiest tail. https://www.science.org/content/article/vampire-squirrel-caught-film-rev2

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Tufted ground squirrel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufted_ground_squirrel

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