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Ratufa affinis (Raffles, 1821)
| Family Name: | Sciuridae |
| Taxonomic Group: | Vertebrates (Mammal) |
| Common Name: | Cream-coloured Giant Squirrel |
Name
Description
| Description | Large tree squirrel with orange-brown to pale buff upperparts, buffy to white underparts. |
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Ecology, Habitat & Location
| Ecological Notes | This diurnal animal frequents the upper storeys of mature forest. Its natural diet consists mainly of fruit and other vegetable matter and insects. |
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| Habitats | Forest, Terrestrial |
| Distribution | In Singapore, restricted to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve where it was last sighted in 1995. This species occurs in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. |
| Nature Reserves | Central Catchment Nature Reserve |
Conservation
| Trends & Threats | The apparent low number of individuals, two at the last sighting, makes it vulnerable to poaching and diseases, as well as inbreeding. |
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| Scientific Interest & Potential Value | R. affinis was first described from Singapore in 1821. The Singapore population tends to be darker coloured than those in Johor, Malaysia. It was reported by Stamford Raffles as being 'abundant in the woods'. This species is probably already extinct in Singapore for it has not been seen there since 1995. |
| Conservation Notes | Continued habitat protecting and strict policing against poaching. |
Status
| Conservation Status | Indeterminate |
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| Singapore Red Data Book Status | Critically Endangered (CR) [2008] |
Photos
References
| References | Baker, N. & Lim, K. 2008. Wild animals of Singapore. Singapore: Draco Publishing and Distribution Pte Ltd. 180pp Davison, G.W.H., Ng, P.K.L. & Ho, H.C (Eds.). 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book (2nd Edition). Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). 285pp |
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