Mammals · Rodentia · Sciuridae

Pallas's Squirrel

Callosciurus erythraeus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Pallas's squirrel is native to South-East Asia and southern China, where it occupies forest and wooded areas. The pet trade has made it one of the most troublesome invasive alien species in Europe: there are feral populations in Italy, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, descended from releases and escapes. Where it becomes established it strips bark from trees, causing serious damage to woodland, and competes with the native squirrels.

Weight

300 g – 450 g

Size

20 cm – 26 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

It is on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern, which bans keeping, breeding and trading it anywhere in the European Union.
It strips bark from trees intensively to eat the phloem: in the areas of Italy where it has settled it has killed whole stands of plane trees and maples.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Subtropical and temperate forest, plantations and city parks of East and South-East Asia
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 48 days
Litter / clutch size: 1.9 (average)

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callosciurus_erythraeus