02 · NATIVE RANGE
Distribution
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Records are associated with the island's montane forests, including the central and southern mountain systems.
COUNTRIES / REGIONIndonesia (Sulawesi)
TREE SQUIRRELS · SPECIES PROFILE
Montane Long-nosed Squirrel
Hyosciurus heinrichi
Least ConcernDETAILED REFERENCE
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Body length195–240 mm
Tail length65–120 mm
Weight228–370 g
ActivityDiurnal; terrestrial and semi-fossorial, although it may climb onto low moss-covered trunks while foraging.
BreedingUnknown
LifespanNo reliable species-specific wild or captive lifespan has been published.
01
Classification & Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilySciuridae
SubfamilyNannosciurinae
TribeNannosciurini
GenusHyosciurus
SpeciesHyosciurus heinrichi
AuthorityArchbold & Tate, 1935
Biogeographic realmAustralasia
Current name: Hyosciurus heinrichi. Current MDD: Least Concern
Type / taxonomic context: Latimodjong Mountains, southern Sulawesi, Indonesia; type locality recorded at about 2,300 m
02 · HABITAT
Where it lives
Cool, wet and mossy montane forest, especially hillsides, ridges and stream-associated forest. Most observations are from roughly 1,000–2,400 m, with the species more characteristic of upper montane habitat.
03
Shelter, Nest & Resting Sites
A terrestrial to semi-fossorial squirrel. Observations indicate use of burrows and shelter in or beneath fallen logs. A tree-drey lifestyle should not be assumed for this species.
RANGE & HABITAT CONTEXT
Compare form, setting and structure
Related tree squirrels help break up the reference while showing how habitat, body form and movement can vary across the broader group.
04
Identification & Physical Profile
Body length195–240 mm
Tail length65–120 mm
Weight228–370 g
AppearanceA compact, dark squirrel with tawny speckling, short rounded ears and an unusually elongated nasal region. The tail is short relative to the head-and-body length. Long, strongly curved claws suit digging and rooting through litter.
A compact, dark squirrel with tawny speckling, short rounded ears and an unusually elongated nasal region. The tail is short relative to the head-and-body length. Long, strongly curved claws suit digging and rooting through litter.
FIELD / REFERENCE CLUES
Very long, narrow muzzle
Short tail, about 45–47% of head-and-body length
Short rounded ears
Dark coat with tawny speckling
Irregular white mid-ventral band
Long curved claws
05 · BEHAVIOR & ACTIVITY
How it behaves
Diurnal; terrestrial and semi-fossorial, although it may climb onto low moss-covered trunks while foraging.
Social system: Usually observed alone. Group size and territorial organization remain poorly documented.
Communication: Produces light single chirps that become faster under distress, along with squirrel-like chatter. Smell is important during foraging.
06 · DIET & FORAGING
What it eats
Insectivorous and frugivorous. Documented foods include beetles, ants, insect larvae, centipedes, cockroaches, fruit and acorns. The elongated muzzle and claws are used to probe leaf litter and moss.
Beetles and insect larvae
Ants
Centipedes and other invertebrates
Cockroaches
Fruit
Acorns
07
Reproduction & Development
Breeding seasonUnknown
GestationUnknown
Litter size1–2 young reported; broader reproductive timing is poorly known
DevelopmentUnknown
When a value is shown as Unknown, the reviewed species-specific sources did not support a reliable figure. Values from related squirrels are not substituted.
BEHAVIOR & FORAGING CONTEXT
Keep behavior connected to the animal
These are related tree squirrels, not photographs of Montane Long-nosed Squirrel. Use them as visual context for locomotion, posture, feeding and environmental use.
08 · LONGEVITY
Lifespan
No reliable species-specific wild or captive lifespan has been published.
08 · PREDATORS
Predation & Risk
Specific predation rates are unknown. Potential predators within its range include raptors, snakes and small carnivorous mammals.
09
Ecology & Ecosystem Role
Rooting and burrowing disturb forest-floor substrate. Acorn feeding can move viable seed material, while the squirrel is also prey for Sulawesi forest predators and host to ectoparasites.
GROUP DIVERSITY
See the wider group around this species
Squirrels in the same broad group can look and live very differently. These credited references provide comparison without changing the facts for Montane Long-nosed Squirrel.
10
Conservation
STATUSLeast Concern
MDD lists the species as Least Concern. It has a restricted island distribution, so continued montane-forest integrity remains important even though the species is not currently categorized as threatened.
11
Research Coverage & Unknowns
Natural-history information is unusually good for a rare Sulawesi squirrel in some areas—especially morphology, foraging and vocal behavior—but reproduction, demography and lifespan remain poorly known.
12
References & Further Reading
Taxonomy and conservation are anchored to current mammal references. Natural-history claims use species-specific sources where available; unsupported fields remain Unknown.