Tree Squirrels

Tree Squirrels are mammals that appear in The Lion Guard universe. They live in the Forest.

Appearance
Tree squirrels are medium-sized squirrels with an olive-brown upperparts and tail. Their undersides are solid red-brown. The flank has a narrow black stripe which is superimposed on a buff one. Some subspecies have red hairs on the tip of their tail. Females have two or three mammae. They range from 160-259 g in weight. Measurements vary with subspecies, but lengths range from head and body 152-224 mm, tail 146-211 mm, and hind foot 38-47 mm.

Their dentition includes 2 large upper and lower incisors as seen in all rodents. There are 2 upper premolars and 1 lower premolar on each side of the jaw, and 3 upper and lower molars. No canines are present

Information
Multiple males compete in mating bouts for an estrus female. Usually 5 to 7 males compete in a single female’s home range. In the end, 2 to 4 males end up mating with a female. During this mating process, males communicate through barks and chasing. Vaughan et al. (2000) suggest a related Malaysian tree squirrel species, Calloscriurus caniceps, imitates predator calls to stop movements of the female and other males after copulation. By reducing their movements, these squirrels increase the probability of fertilization. This related species uses these calls for 30-35 minutes.