Callosciurus pygerythrus (Irrawaddy Squirrel or Hoary-bellied Squirrel) is a relatively small squirrel which inhabits parts of northwestern Southeast Asia, and beyond. It is named after the Irrawaddy River, which runs through the heart of Myanmar. The term 'hoary' means 'greyish white.
It is an adaptable species which can thrive in a variety of forest types including deciduous broadleaved woodland, coniferous evergreen forest, secondary growth and mixed agricultural areas. Population densities are higher in disturbed forest, when compared with intact forest (IUCN: Duckworth, 2016).
Its diet includes a wide range of vegetation including seeds, flowers, fruits, bark and lichen, as well as insects and probably occasional small vertebrates.
There is some variation in fur colour between different populations, but the upperparts are reddish-brown to greyish-brown, and somewhat grizzled, and the underparts variable. Pale patches may be present on the hips. Francis (2001) summarizes a wide range of colour variation in Myanmar, although many such variations might be difficult to identify in the field.
The species is closely-related to Callosciurus inornatus (Inornate Squirrel), which occurs in parts of Laos and Vietnam (Oshida et al, 2021).
Callosciurus pygerythrus is known to occur in Bangladesh, northeast India, Nepal and Myanmar (mainly west of the Irrawaddy River). It ranges from lowlands to lower montane regions at around 1500 metres.
The Irrawaddy squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus) or hoary-bellied Himalayan squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae.
Irrawaddy squirrels vary in fur color, some squirrels being greyish-brown and reddish-brown, with some squirrels being grizzled. Some squirrels have dark tips of 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.
It is native to Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Most squirrels that live in Myanmar live west of the Irrawaddy River. Irrawaddy squirrels can live in a number of types of forests, including deciduous broad-leaved woodland, coniferous evergreen forests, mixed agricultural areas, and secondary growth forests. They can live in lowlands and lower mountainous regions, at around 1500 meters. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Irrawaddy squirrels mainly eat nuts, seeds, fruits, bark, lichen, and various types of vegetation, however some squirrels may eat insects and small vertebrates.
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