Squirrel
Squirrel (kathbidali) slender bodied, mostly arboreal mammals with long bushy tail, of the family Sciuridae, order Rodentia. Squirrels are amongst the most widespread of mammals, occupying every continent except Australasia and Antarctica. Some of the tropical squirrels have stripes and patches of black and white. Most have large eyes and keen sight, with a remarkable capacity to judge distances between tree branches.
Table Squirrels of Bangladesh.
| Scientific name | English name | Local name | Distribution |
| Callosciurus erythraeus | Pallas's Squirrel | --- | Mixed evergreen forests |
| Callosciurus pygerythrus | Hoary-bellied Himalayan Squirrel/ Irrawaddy Squirrel | Badami Kathbidali |
East of Jamuna, Sundarbans |
| Dremomys lokriah | Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel: a dark rufous brown animal. Dorsal fur is brown at the base. Lower parts more or less orange. Occasionally gives a loud cackling call. | --- | Mixed evergreen forests |
| Funambulus palmarum | Threestriped Palm Squirrel/Indian Palm Squirrel: there are three dorsal stripes. | --- |
East of Jamuna |
| Funambulus pennanti | Fivestriped Palm Squirrel/Northern Palm Squirrel: there are five pale stripes on its back. Three median dorsal stripes are flanked on each side with a supplementary pale stripe. | Dora Kathbidali |
West of Jamuna except Sundarbans |
| Petaurista magnificus | Hodgson's Flying Squirrel | Udanta Kathbidali | Mixed evergreen forests |
| Petaurista petaurista | Large Brown Flying Squirrel/Common Giant Flying Squirrel/Red Giant Flying Squirrel | Udanta Kathbidali | Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts |
| Ratufa bicolor | Malayan Giant Squirrel/Black Giant Squirrel: coat colour is deep brown almost black; underparts buff-coloured. | Kathbidali | Mixed evergreen forests |
Squirrels have short fore limbs and their toes bear sharp claws, which assist climbing in arboreal species. Their long hind limbs provide the propulsion necessary for leaping.
Flying squirrels have a furry membrane (the patagium) along each side of the body, running from the hindlimb to the forelimb, where it is attached to the wrist. By extending their limbs, these animals greatly increase the surface area of their body and are able to glide from tree to tree in a controlled manner, by using their tail as a rudder.
When not in use, the membrane is tucked away so as not to impede running and climbing. Because of their 'hobbled' limbs, flying squirrels are less agile than the ordinary squirrels. There are 270 species of squirrels worldwide; Bangladesh has 8 species (Table). [Md Anwarul Islam]
