Japanese squirrel

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Japanese squirrel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Sciurus
Species:
S. lis
Binomial name
Sciurus lis
Japanese squirrel's range

The Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) is a mammal that only lives in Japan.

Japanese squirrels live on the main island of Honshu, Japan. They are locally extinct in Hokkaido.

Japanese squirrels' enemies are such as snakes, owls, eagles and fox. They were food for humans before. They were hunted for their fur. They are now on the red list of Wildlife protection and Hunting, so they cannot be a pet.

Behavior[change | change source]

The Japanese Squirrel likes to jump from a Tree to another tree next to it, to jump, they use their tail, which helps it to steer. Their two back feet (also called the Hind Legs) can move 180 degrees to help it when it is climbing down a tree. [3]

Diet[change | change source]

Japanese squirrels eat Japanese walnuts. They eat vegetable matter except seeds during spring.

Reproduction[change | change source]

They reproduce from spring to summer about 2 to 6 children. It has offspring every one to two years.

References[change | change source]

  1. Ishii, N.; Kaneko, Y. (2008). "Sciurus lis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  2. Thorington, R.W., Jr.; Hoffmann, R.S. (2005). "Sciurus (Sciurus) lis". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 26158608.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Japanese squirrel". The Japan Times. February 2002.