shrew-faced ground squirrel
Quick Summary
The shrew-faced ground squirrel (Rhinosciurus laticaudatus) is a type of tropical ground squirrel found in the Sunda Islands. It is a rodent belonging to the genus Rhinosciurus, which contains only this one species. These squirrels are distinct from their nontropical relatives as they are active year-round and do not store food.
The shrew-faced ground squirrel has a specialized diet, primarily consisting of earthworms and insects. It uses its greatly elongated snout, long tongue, and weak incisor teeth to capture its prey. Unlike many other ground squirrels, it typically nests in hollow tree trunks or rotting branches on the forest floor rather than excavating burrows.12
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