Variegated Squirrel
Sciurus variegatoides
This species exhibits incredible color polymorphism; individuals can range from pale white to deep charcoal, even within the same forest.
- Scientific name
- Sciurus variegatoides
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Sciuridae › Sciurus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Dry deciduous forests, evergreen forests, and agricultural plantations.
- Diet
- Seeds, soft fruits, flowers, fungi, and occasionally insects.
- Range
- Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador, Southern Mexico
- Size
- Total length of 45-65 cm (including a long, bushy tail); weight of 450-900 grams.
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years in the wild, up to 12 years in captivity.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and localized hunting.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Observe this active climber from a distance as it leaps between branches. Do not attempt to touch or feed it, as wild squirrels may bite if cornered or habituated to humans. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and consult a healthcare professional.
The variegated squirrel ( Sciurus variegatoides ) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Fifteen subspecies are recognised. It is a common squirrel and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it a "least-concern species". Variegated squirrels kept as pets in Germany have been implicated in the transmission of a bornavirus to humans from which three people have died.
Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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