Squirrels are familiar to almost everyone. More than 200 squirrel species live all over the world, with the notable exception of Australia.
The tiniest squirrel is the aptly named African pygmy squirrel—only five inches (thirteen centimeters) long from nose to tail. Others reach sizes shocking to those who are only familiar with common tree squirrels. The Indian giant squirrel is three feet (almost a meter) long.
Like other rodents, squirrels have four front teeth that never stop growing so they don’t wear down from the constant gnawing. Tree squirrels are the types most commonly recognized, often seen gracefully scampering and leaping from branch to branch. Other species are ground squirrels that live in burrow or tunnel systems, where some hibernate during the winter season.
Ground squirrels eat nuts, leaves, roots, seeds, and other plants. They also catch and eat small animals, such as insects and caterpillars. These small mammals must always be wary of predators because they are tasty morsels with few natural defenses, save flight. Sometimes groups of ground squirrels work together to warn each other of approaching danger with a whistling call.
Tree squirrels are commonly seen everywhere from woodlands to city parks. Though they are terrific climbers, these squirrels do come to the ground in search of fare such as nuts, acorns, berries, and flowers. They also eat bark, eggs, or baby birds. Tree sap is a delicacy to some species.
Flying squirrels are a third, adaptable type of squirrel. They live something like birds do, in nests or tree holes, and although they do not fly, they can really move across the sky. Flying squirrels glide, extending their arms and legs and coasting through the air from one tree to another. Flaps of skin connecting limbs to body provide a winglike surface. These gliding leaps can exceed 150 feet (46 meters). Flying squirrels eat nuts and fruit, but also catch insects and even baby birds.
Whether they dwell high in a tree or in an underground burrow, female squirrels typically give birth to two to eight offspring. Babies are blind and totally dependent on their mothers for two or three months. Mothers may have several litters in a year, so most squirrel populations are robust.
A leopard walks through a section of Mondulkiri Protected Forest in the Kingdom’s Eastern Plains in 2009. WWF
Erin Handley, The Phnom Penh Post
Fri, 5 August 2016
Indochinese leopards should be classified as endangered, according to a new report that highlights the dwindling numbers of the species in Cambodia and Southeast Asia.
The study, published in Biological Conservation earlier this week, estimated a regional population of between 973 and 2,503 of the mammals.
Cambodia is thought to have just 132 leopards, with between 18 and 55 of those adults believed capable of breeding.
In Mondulkiri province the leopard, which is listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, saw a 70 per cent decline between 2009 and 2014. Only two leopards have been detected in Preah Vihear province in the past three years.
“Poaching for the wildlife trade was likely the main reason for the decline of leopard numbers,” the report noted. “Recently interviewed poachers . . . received $55–$60 per [kilogram] of leopard bones from Vietnamese traders.
“Unless more effective protection is provided, poaching might soon lead to the extirpation of the leopard population in Eastern Plains Landscape, similar to that recently observed for tiger.”
Wildlife Alliance founder Suwanna Gauntlett said there had been no sign of the leopard in the southwest Cardamom Mountains for more than a decade: “Leopards have mostly disappeared from protected areas in Cambodia due to weak law enforcement and heavy poaching.”
Ministry of Environment spokesman Sao Sopheap said the drop in numbers was concerning, adding that the ministry was training more rangers to improve capacity and law enforcement.
Authorities sit next to the carcass of an elephant in Mondulkiri province yesterday after it became ensnared in a trap. Photo supplied
Vong Sokheng and Cristina Maza
The Phnom Penh Post, Tue, 26 July 2016
A baby elephant died yesterday after being found snared in a poacher’s trap in the jungle along the border of Orang and Keo Seyma districts in Mondulkiri province.
The death of the wild elephant, thought to be about a year old, raised a red flag for many conservation groups concerned with the ability of local authorities to protect the endangered species.
“This incident again highlights the need to increase efforts to reduce snaring, as the loss of one elephant is a major loss for the globally endangered Asian elephant,” said Un Chakrey of the World Wild Life Foundation in Cambodia, who said the use of snares had only increased despite law enforcement efforts.
Local authorities tried to rescue the baby elephant after villagers reported it trapped deep in the jungle over the weekend, said Meak Vuthy, an official at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). But officials were forced to make the long journey by foot as the jungle roads were unsuitable for driving.
It’s unclear how long the elephant was caught in the trap, but it died from a severe leg injury before it could be brought to Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary for treatment. (more…)