Pallas's squirrel
Pallas’s squirrel is the only squirrel species commonly found in low-elevation areas of Taiwan. Its dorsal pelage is dark brown, its ventral pelage is red, and its tail is quite bushy. When active, it often moves its tail up and down. Pallas’s squirrels are able to adapt to manmade environments. In addition, as some people are in the habit of feeding wild animals, they can often be seen approaching people in urban environments, such as school campuses and parks. These squirrels mainly eat fruits, seeds, shoots, and insects. They have a broad distribution, with traces of their activity observed from low to high elevations. When food diversity in an afforested area is insufficient, they feed on bark causing the trees to die. Thus, methods of controlling this species are being sought in afforested areas.
Text/Chen Yan-Jun, Chen Mu-Xuan
Photo/Huang Xiao-Ting
