| Tree shrews | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
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Tupaiinae Tupaia Anathana Urogale Dendrogale Lyonogale Ptilocercinae Ptilocercus | ||||||||||||
The tree shrews are small, squirrel-like mammals native to the tropical forests of South-east Asia. They make up the family Tupaiidae and the entire order Scandentia. There are 18 species in 6 genera.
Although called tree shrews, they are not shrews (although they were previously classified in the Insectivora), and are not all arboreal. They are most notable for their mothering practices: the mother runs around all over for two days, then visits her children for only two minutes. They are also paranoid, never taking the same route to their home or their children's. Among other things, they eat Rafflesia fruit.
Tree shrews are considered by some to be a primitive form of Primate.