Junín red squirrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Junín red squirrel |
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| Conservation status | |
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Sciurus
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pyrrhinus
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| Junín red squirrel's range | |
The Junín red squirrel (Sciurus pyrrhinus) is a type of squirrel that lives in the forests of Peru and Ecuador. It's known for its reddish-brown fur and its home high up in the trees.
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What Does the Junín Red Squirrel Look Like?
The Junín red squirrel is a fairly large tree squirrel. Its body, from head to tail, is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long. Most of its fur is a dark red color, mixed with black hairs. Its tail is a bit shorter than its head and body combined and is a chestnut brown color. The fur on its belly can be white, red, or somewhere in between, depending on the individual squirrel. It also has black whiskers and black edges on its ears.
Where the Junín Red Squirrel Lives
This squirrel makes its home on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains in central Peru. You can find it from Huánuco in the north to Ayacucho and Cusco in the south. It might also live further east, possibly near the Bolivian border. There's even one record from 1920 that suggests it lives further north in the Zamora-Chinchipe Province of Ecuador.
Within these areas, the Junín red squirrel lives in different kinds of forests. It can be found in lowland rainforests and also in higher, mountain forests.
Life and Behavior of the Junín Red Squirrel
Scientists don't know a lot about the daily life and behavior of the Junín red squirrel. We do know that they are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. They are also arboreal, which means they spend most of their time in trees.
These squirrels are often seen in small groups. This suggests that they might not be very protective of their own space or territory. Young squirrels are likely born around January, as females nursing their babies have been seen during that month.
Even though they have a limited area where they live, these squirrels seem to be quite common. They can handle some human activities like logging (cutting down trees) and hunting better than some other squirrel species. However, because their home range is small, the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment has listed them as "Vulnerable." This means they could be at risk in the future if their environment changes too much.
See also
In Spanish: Ardilla roja de Junín para niños
