Fun Facts!

Separate bedrooms! The parents build one ‘nest’ area for the offspring and another ‘nest’ for their own quarters nearby.

Common Tree Shrew

Tupaia glis

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The common tree shrew closely resembles the North American squirrel. They are slender, and their fur is soft and dense, with colors ranging from gray to green, and either whitish or dark chestnut-brown on the belly. They have a pointed snout and small ears, and excellent vision. Their paws are bare, and they have strong, sharp claws. The tail is covered with long hairs, and is almost the same length as their entire body. The tree shrew is about 5.5-6 inches long, and weighs 3.5-7 oz.

HABITAT

The common tree shrew is found in Southeast Asia. They live in mountainous forest and shrub-covered areas.

DIET IN THE WILD

In the wild, their diet consists of insects, fruits, seeds and leaves.

BEHAVIOR

The common tree shrew is diurnal, sleeping at night and spending most of its time during the day foraging, alone or in pairs. Although much of their diet causes them to forage for food on the ground, they are primarily arboreal – they spend most of their time in trees. They normally live alone or with a mate, making their nests in hollow trees.

STATUS IN THE WILD / CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Common tree shrews are not considered a threatened species Their primary threat comes from deforestation due to human development for agriculture, plantation and commercial logging, as well as hunting by humans.

LIFE SPAN

They can live 2-3 years in the wild, but some have lived up to 12 years in captivity.