Main Characteristics

Northern Tree Shrews are squirrel-like and they have a long bushy tail and a pointed snout. They are grey in colour and they lack whiskers so they have to rely on their well developed senses of vision, smell and hearing to detect prey.

Habitat

Northern Tree Shrews are found in forests throughout south east Asia. An approximate range map is shown on the right.

Diet

Northern Tree Shrews mainly feed on fruit, seeds and insects.

Breeding

After a gestation period of approximately 50 days, 2 - 4 young are born. At birth the young of the Northern Tree Shrew are blind and hairless. They are only fed every two days and are left entirely on their own between feeds.

Tree Shrews reach sexual maturity at around 4 months old and they generally breed throughout the year with no defined breeding season.

Predators

Predators of Northern Tree Shrews include snakes, birds of prey and wild cats.

Subspecies

Subspecies of the Northern Tree Shrew include:

Tupaia belangeri assamenis
Tupaia belangeri belangeri
Tupaia belangeri brunetta
Tupaia belangeri chinensis
Tupaia belangeri laotum
Tupaia belangeri lepcha
Tupaia belangeri siccata
Tupaia belangeri tenaster
Tupaia belangeri tonquinia
Tupaia belangeri versurae
Tupaia belangeri yunalis

Interesting Facts

Tree Shrews have the highest brain to body mass ratio of any animal, even higher than humans.

Tupaia comes from the Malay word "tupai" which means squirrel.