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Believed to be a rare photo of the very scarce  Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel Rhinosciurus laticaudatus taken  at Sepilok in Sabah by Jessica Haysom.

Photo courtesy of Shavez Cheema of 1StopBorneo Wildlife.

This ground squirrel is relatively large (about the size of Prevost’s Squirrel)  and appears to be nocturnal or crepuscular (active only at dawn and dusk). The most likely confusion species is the much more common Low’s Squirrel  Sundasicurus lowii which is also most active at ground level but is only  two thirds the  size of  the Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel.  Comparing the noses of the two species  Rhinosciurus has a longer and more pointed nose.

 

Plate 28 Ground squirrels
Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel illustrated by Karen Phillipps.   Total length c. 36 cm
Plate 26 Sundasciurus squirrels of lowlands and hills
Low’s Squirrel illustrated by Karen Phillipps. Total length c. 23 cm