Red-tailed Squirrel

Identification

The red-tailed squirrel is a highly variable tree squirrel with a remarkable diversity of coat colours across its range. Coat patterns include combinations of brown, orange, red, and sometimes blackish markings, with considerable individual and regional variation. Most individuals display distinctive orange or reddish fur on the throat, chest, and belly, though some populations show white or white-spotted undersides instead. A characteristic feature of most populations is a patch of lighter-coloured (generally orange) fur on the head behind the ears, though this is absent in some subspecies. The tail typically displays red-tipped hairs, and in some subspecies shows striking tricoloured patterns with dark bases, reddish middles, and black ends.

The red-tailed squirrel is most closely related to Sciurus pucheranii. It is somewhat larger than this similar species, though size overlap occurs except in the eastern Andes of Colombia where S. granatensis is always noticeably larger. Note that the species was reclassified to the genus Notosciurus in 2015, though the IUCN continues to recognize it under the genus Sciurus.

Range & Habitat

This species is distributed from southern Central America to northern South America, with populations found in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago. It also occurs on the Caribbean island of Margarita. A small invasive population exists in Cuba, descended from animals that escaped the Havana Zoo.

The red-tailed squirrel inhabits many types of forests across a wide elevation range from sea level to 3,000 metres (9,843 feet). It is adaptable to human-modified landscapes and can be found in picnic grounds and other accessible areas, making it relatively easy for travellers to encounter.

Behaviour & Diet

The source material provided does not include specific information about the behaviour and diet of the red-tailed squirrel. Travellers seeking detailed information about its feeding habits, social structure, and activity patterns are encouraged to consult additional field guides and scientific literature.

Best Time & Places to See It

The red-tailed squirrel's wide elevational range and adaptability to various forest types make it a reasonably accessible species throughout its range. Its presence in picnic grounds and human-frequented areas increases the likelihood of encounters. The species is distributed across Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the Caribbean islands of Trinidad, Tobago, and Margarita, offering multiple opportunities for observation across Central and South America.

Photography Tips

The extreme variability in coat coloration across the species' range means that photographing different populations provides opportunities to document remarkable colour variation. Focus on capturing the distinctive orange or lighter-coloured patches behind the ears (present in most subspecies) and the characteristic red-tipped tail hairs. The tricoloured tail patterns seen in some populations are particularly striking photographic subjects. Given the species' presence in picnic grounds and accessible forest areas, patient observation from these locations may yield good photographic opportunities without requiring extensive backcountry travel.