ພຣອກ ປອມຢິມ (ກຶມມຸ) ( Asian red-cheeked squirrel, Ardilla de mejillas rojas, Echtes Rotwangenhérnchen, Ecureuil a joues rousses, Red-cheeked Squirrel)

Dremomys rufigenis subsp. adamsoni Thomas 1914
Dremomys rufigenis subsp. belfieldi (Bonhote, 1908)
Dremomys rufigenis subsp. fuscus (Bonhote, 1907)
Dremomys rufigenis subsp. ornatus Thomas, 1914

Sciuridae

Dremomys rufigenis features striking bright red patches on its cheeks, a grayish green back, and a white belly. Its fur beneath the tail and around its bottom is a deep red, while the legs and throat do not have any red coloration. The head-to-body length ranges from 17.0 to 22.0 cm, with a tail length measuring between 13.0 and 18.0 cm. The body mass varies from 0.19 to 0.34 kg.
These creatures are diurnal, displaying activity during the day as they forage for food both on the ground and in the trees. They prefer to stay close to the ground, typically no higher than four feet, and tend to be solitary in nature [4], [5].

Behavior: Red-cheeked squirrels are diurnal. They are active both on the ground and in trees, and are most active at heights below four feet. Little has been investigated about the behavior of this species or this genus, but tree squirrels are known to be generally solitary, unlike ground squirrels. Also, tree squirrels are very agile when moving among trees. Squirrels in general are known to be territorial. [8]

China, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia
Global distribution between 2004 to 2024. Source: [6]

North Laos Highlands
Northern Mekong Corridor
Annamite Highlands and Xieng Khuang Plateau
Vientiane Plain
Northern Annamites
Central Annamites
Lower Annamites
Southern Annamites
Southern Mekong Corridor
Boloven Plateau

Plantation forest
Evergreen forest
Upland fields with crops

Native

Not invasive

Least concern

List III: General species

Food

Food: Red-cheeked squirrels are harvested for food. Particularly, this species is heavily hunted in Lao PDR and in some neighboring countries. [8]

Both

January
February
March
April
May
June
December

Habitat preservation: This animal is not in serious danger anywhere in Southeast Asia. Although the species is heavily harvested in Laos, nearby countries catch a lot of them, which makes their numbers lower in small patches of forest. But there are still lots of them in the big forests [7].

Population monitoring: There is little information available on the abundance of this species, although in Lao PDR it is very common (Timmins and Duckworth 2008).

N/A

Important source of proteins

N/A

Nutrient	/100g	Remark
Proteins	N/A	N/A
Carbohydrates	N/A	N/A
Fats	N/A	N/A
Vitamins	N/A	N/A
Minerals	N/A	N/A
Fibers	N/A	N/A

Red-cheeked squirrel up close. [1] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 25 May 2024 by: tiluchi. Available: www.inaturalist.org/observations/218029809. [Accessed: 11 October 2024]
Red-cheeked squirrel eating. [2] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 14 may 2019 by Lena Chow. Available: https://inaturalist.nz/photos/39326546. [Accessed: 16 August 2024]
Red-cheeked squirrel on a tree. [3] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 19 April 2024 by: sergeyyeliseev. Available: www.inaturalist.org/observations/208067140. [Accessed: 11 October 2024]

[4] D. Prathumtong and A. P. Khlaipet, Mammals of Natural world heritage “Thung Yai Naresuan – Huai Kha Khaeng”. Pahum Thani: National Science Museum Thailand. 2022
[5] C. Francis. A Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 2008
[6] Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), “Dremomys rufigenis (Blanford, 1878),” [Online]. Available: https://www.gbif.org/species/2437278. [Accessed: 11 October 2024]
[7] IUCN Red List, “Dremomys rufigenis (Blanford, 1878),” [Online]. Available: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6824/22256057#threats. [Accessed: 11 October 2024]
[8] World Flora Online, "Manihot esculenta Crantz," 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000235507. [Accessed: Oct. 18, 2024].