Main Characteristics

Large Tree Shrews have a body length between 16.5 and 32 cms (6.5 - 12.5 inches), a tail length between 12 and 22 cms (5 - 8.7 inches) and they weigh between 154 and 305 g (5.4 - 10.75 inches).

They are reddish brown in colour with an almost black rump and a dark dorsal stripe. They have large eyes and good senses of hearing, smell and vision.

Habitat

Large Tree Shrews can be found in the forests of Borneo, Sumatra and small adjacent islands. They are the most terrestrial of all tree shrews, but they do spend some of their time in the trees.

Diet

Large Tree Shrews feed on earthworms, a variety of arthropods and some fruits.

Breeding

After a gestation period of approximately 50 days, a litter of 2 young are born. At birth the young are blind and hairless, but they are able to leave the nest when they are a month old.

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

Predators

Large Tree Shrews have many potential predators including marbled cats, leopards and clouded leopards.

Subspecies

Subspecies of the Large Tree Shrew are:

Tupaia tana banguei
Tupaia tana besara
Tupaia tana bunoae
Tupaia tana cervicalis
Tupaia tana chrysura
Tupaia tana kelabit
Tupaia tana kretami
Tupaia tana lingae
Tupaia tana masae
Tupaia tana nitida
Tupaia tana paitana
Tupaia tana sirhassenensis
Tupaia tana speciosa
Tupaia tana tana
Tupaia tana utara

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.

Similar Animals

Nicobar Tree Shrew
Common Tree Shrew
Calamian Tree Shrew
Striped Tree Shrew
Horsfield's Tree Shrew
Mindanao Tree Shrew
Palawan Tree Shrew
Indian Tree Shrew