Identification:
Large squirrel. The base of the nose, head, neck, and back to the base of the tail are black or black-gray. The outer part of the hind limbs, the dorsal side of the feet, and the sides of the body are the same color as the back. The belly, from the armpits of the forelimbs to the abdomen and the inside of the hind limbs, is pale yellow or ochre. The outer surface of the ear has tufts of black hair, while the inner ear is bare. The upper part of the eye is black, the area below the eye to the cheeks is bright yellow, and the sides of the nostrils and lips are pale white. The tail is longer than the body, with fluffy fur; the base of the tail is black, and the tip of the tail has long, stiff, black tufts of hair.
Vietnam has three subspecies:
- Côn Đảo Black Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor condorensis Kloss, 1922);
- Dark Black Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor gigantea Thomas, 1923);
- Brown Black Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor smithi Robinson et Kloss, 1923).
The color of the three subspecies of Black Squirrels differ as follows:
- Côn Đảo Black Squirrel: Yellow extending to the arms, with a reddish-brown spot behind the neck.
- Dark Black Squirrel: Lacking the characteristics of the Côn Đảo Black Squirrel, the back is entirely dark black.
- Brown Black Squirrel: Back is yellowish-black-brown.
Biology and Ecology:
Arboreal, preferring tall trees in deep forests on hills with many fruit trees, rocky mountains, old-growth forests, secondary forests, and bamboo forests with tall trees or along riverbanks and streams. Black Squirrels eat plants: fruits, shoots, seeds, and leaves (e.g., chestnuts, Spondias spp., Antidesma spp., Garcinia spp., figs, banyan trees, corn, lychee, longan, bananas…). Animal food includes some insects, ants, termites, and sometimes bird eggs. Black Squirrels are active during the day, primarily in trees. When foraging, squirrels often make a “túc…túc…” sound, making them easy to detect and heavily hunted. Squirrels live solitary lives, pairing during mating season. They build nests on high tree branches with small branches and lined with soft, dry leaves. Black Squirrels give birth twice a year: spring-summer (March-April) and autumn-winter (October-November). Each litter has 2-3 offspring, usually 2.
Distribution:
- Within Vietnam: Throughout the mountainous forests with tall trees from North to South at different altitudes. The three subspecies are distributed in three different areas: The Dark Black Squirrel is distributed in the North; the Brown Black Squirrel in the Lang Biang Plateau, Di Linh, and Tay Ninh; the Côn Đảo Black Squirrel is only distributed in Côn Đảo.
- Worldwide: Nepal, India, Myanmar, China (Hainan Island), Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Value:
The Côn Đảo Black Squirrel subspecies is endemic to Côn Đảo, Vietnam. It has scientific and aesthetic value and can be kept as a pet in zoos.
Conservation Status:
- Before 1990, except for the Côn Đảo Black Squirrel subspecies with a small population and narrow distribution, other Black Squirrel subspecies were quite common from North to South.
- After 1990, the area of tall trees decreased, and Black Squirrels were heavily hunted. The current exploitation level remains very high. The overall population has declined by 50% in the last 10 years, although some forests may still have high numbers.
Classification:
VU A1a,c,d (Vulnerable)
Conservation Measures:
- Included in the Vietnam Red Data Book, listed in Group II of Decree 32/2006/ND-CP and Appendix II of CITES.
- Recommendations: Ban hunting under any circumstances. Conservation in Côn Đảo National Park and other nature reserves.