why are squirrel species not very common in zoos

gerome said:
I have recently been thinking how many squirrel species would be really intressething zoo animals such as the giant squirrel and flying squirrel. I wonder why there not more common. does anyone know.
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I’ve seen Prevost's squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii) at Los Angeles Zoo and I think Santa Barbara may still have them. I think Big Bear Zoo also has flying squirrels (unsure which species).
 
Here is the list of squirrel species in zoos, with examples. I hope this will give you a better idea of the squirrel species that are in Zoo. It's up to you to complete the list ;)

Prevost squirrel:
Lille Zoo
Parc animalier d'Auvergne
Amiens Zoo
Spaycific Zoo
Parc animalier des Pyrénées

Korean squirrel:
Zoo du Bois d'Attilly

Finlayson squirrel:
Spaycific Zoo

Hudson squirrel:
Parc animalier des Pyrénées
Spaycific Zoo

Father David's rock squirrel:
Asson Zoo
Parc animalier des Pyrénées

Swinhoe striped squirrel:
Asson Zoo
Pyrenees Wildlife Park
Spaycific Zoo

Red squirrel:
Casteil Wildlife Park

Cape ground squirrel:
Biotropica
ZOA Sanary-sur-mer

Japanese squirrel:
Zooparc de Tregomeur Insolite

As for their rarity in zoos, I have no idea. I haven't found an explanation on the Web either, so I can only speculate: perhaps in the early days of zoos (when their conservation role was only minor and they were more interested in entertaining visitors) squirrels weren't interesting enough for them. Since then, the zoo population has been low and squirrels are not a priority (they're not on the IUCN red list), which is why we don't really try to breed them and move them to different . This is the scenario that came to mind, but it's just a hypothesis.

Adax
 
Adax said:
Here is the list of squirrel species in zoos, with examples. I hope this will give you a better idea of the squirrel species that are in Zoo. It's up to you to complete the list ;)

Prevost squirrel:
Lille Zoo
Parc animalier d'Auvergne
Amiens Zoo
Spaycific Zoo
Parc animalier des Pyrénées

Korean squirrel:
Zoo du Bois d'Attilly

Finlayson squirrel:
Spaycific Zoo

Hudson squirrel:
Parc animalier des Pyrénées
Spaycific Zoo

Father David's rock squirrel:
Asson Zoo
Parc animalier des Pyrénées

Swinhoe striped squirrel:
Asson Zoo
Pyrenees Wildlife Park
Spaycific Zoo

Red squirrel:
Casteil Wildlife Park

Cape ground squirrel:
Biotropica
ZOA Sanary-sur-mer

Japanese squirrel:
Zooparc de Tregomeur Insolite

As for their rarity in zoos, I have no idea. I haven't found an explanation on the Web either, so I can only speculate: perhaps in the early days of zoos (when their conservation role was only minor and they were more interested in entertaining visitors) squirrels weren't interesting enough for them. Since then, the zoo population has been low and squirrels are not a priority (they're not on the IUCN red list), which is why we don't really try to breed them and move them to different . This is the scenario that came to mind, but it's just a hypothesis.

Adax
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Pallas's squirrel is kept at some places too, and Siberian Flying Squirrel too. There are also some giant squirrels still around ( for example Leipzig)
 
European zoos unfortunately have´d no luck in breeding Giant squirrels despite importing various species over the years. If they would form self-sustaining population, I think they could become really popular.

European red squirrels used to be a staple of local mini zoos in 20th century, all hand-reared foundlings from the nature. Increased legal protection of local wildlife now discourages their keeping captive. But recently, North American red squirrel is getting popular in private petting / mini zoos. It is winter-hard, low maintenance, zero paperwork, breeds easily and works well in small walk-through aviaries.
 
As far as I know, five species of squirrels (Pallas’s, eastern gray, fox, Finlayson’s, and Siberian chipmunk) are on the Invasive Alien Species list, casting these species to the shadow realm. While other squirrels, such as Swinhoe’s striped squirrel, could end up taking their place, I wouldn’t be surprised if the EU suddenly decides to add them to the IAS list over superstition of the species being potentially invasive
 
Prevost’s squirrels are very, very common in US zoos, southern flying squirrels aren’t too uncommon either, and eastern grey squirrels are a staple of nature centers. The US has very little scuirine diversity otherwise, but I’ve seen variegated squirrels popping up more often, in private facilities and for sale online.
 
Let’s also not forget that one of the most commonly kept mammals in American zoos is a native (ground) squirrel species, the black-tailed prairie dog.

But, overall, exotic tree squirrels just aren’t a group of animals that the public is too interested in, and as such zoos haven’t gone out of their way to display and maintain them.
 
Marmosets and tamarins have similar looks to tree squirrels but are more cute and often endangered. Meerkats have similar looks to ground squirrels but are more popular and don't hibernate.

Squirrels used to be much more popular in the early-middle 20. century, when many were imported from the wild. Many are very beautiful and active by day and can be engaging for visitors. Like many city parks in Europe have red squirrels which are fed by people. Several species are threatened and are found in zoos in their home range. I think they still can be an attraction.

@giant squirrels in zoos - zoos may feed them wrong diet. I saw some in the wild and they seemed to be feeding on green buds and leaf bases, and zoos give them more caloric nuts and fruit.
 
Jurek7 said:
Marmosets and tamarins have similar looks to tree squirrels but are more cute and often endangered. Meerkats have similar looks to ground squirrels but are more popular and don't hibernate.

Squirrels used to be much more popular in the early-middle 20. century, when many were imported from the wild. Many are very beautiful and active by day and can be engaging for visitors. Like many city parks in Europe have red squirrels which are fed by people. Several species are threatened and are found in zoos in their home range. I think they still can be an attraction.

@giant squirrels in zoos - zoos may feed them wrong diet. I saw some in the wild and they seemed to be feeding on green buds and leaf bases, and zoos give them more caloric nuts and fruit.
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Interesting, some squirrels also require extra vit D3,such as Prevosts. This is normally because some establishments give them predominantly a diet of nuts seeds and vegetables . A lack of D3 will cause metabolic bone disease.
 
Adax said:
Here is the list of squirrel species in zoos, with examples. I hope this will give you a better idea of the squirrel species that are in Zoo. It's up to you to complete the list ;)

Prevost squirrel:
Lille Zoo
Parc animalier d'Auvergne
Amiens Zoo
Spaycific Zoo
Parc animalier des Pyrénées

Korean squirrel:
Zoo du Bois d'Attilly

Finlayson squirrel:
Spaycific Zoo

Hudson squirrel:
Parc animalier des Pyrénées
Spaycific Zoo

Father David's rock squirrel:
Asson Zoo
Parc animalier des Pyrénées

Swinhoe striped squirrel:
Asson Zoo
Pyrenees Wildlife Park
Spaycific Zoo

Red squirrel:
Casteil Wildlife Park

Cape ground squirrel:
Biotropica
ZOA Sanary-sur-mer

Japanese squirrel:
Zooparc de Tregomeur Insolite

As for their rarity in zoos, I have no idea. I haven't found an explanation on the Web either, so I can only speculate: perhaps in the early days of zoos (when their conservation role was only minor and they were more interested in entertaining visitors) squirrels weren't interesting enough for them. Since then, the zoo population has been low and squirrels are not a priority (they're not on the IUCN red list), which is why we don't really try to breed them and move them to different . This is the scenario that came to mind, but it's just a hypothesis.

Adax
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I can add:

Prevost's Squirrel:
Ueno Zoo

Japanese Squirrel:
Ueno Zoo
Kyoto Municipal Zoo

Japanese Flying Squirrel
Kyoto Municipal Zoo

Black-tailed Prairie Dog:
Ueno Zoo
 
Prevost squirrel seem to be not particularly common but somewhat present. Chester also has striped squirrel which was not a species I'd have cared much for in a zoochat discussion but enjoyed very well in person.

I would say in general small mammals are on a major decline in North America (others can speak for Europe) and that often what room is allowed for this group is dedicated to a handful of popular taxa, while almost nowhere has 'flex space' for this category, so fewer zoos are willing to take 'risks' on small mammals that don't seem popular. Compounding this, in North America wild squirrels are just so prevalent that there is a concern the public may not appreciate exotic variants.

That said, I've heard when Brookfield had a native Illinois exhibit in the 1940s-1960s, the native squirrel habitat was extremely popular!
 
Perth Zoo did at one point keep Five-lined Palm Squirrel, which escaped and established a population on zoo grounds (but they have apparently since been exterminated).
 
AndyJ08 said:
Prevost’s squirrels are very, very common in US zoos,
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Less than 30 squirrels at 15 facilities is pushing towards rare I'd say. Supposedly there is increasing interest again so we'll see what happens there.

The winner though is definitely the Prairie Dog as already mentioned, with potentially more than a thousand in the AZA alone.

There are or have been various squirrels about, just not in any real capacity.
 
Why I think it susprises me so much that are not that common is that there are some intressething species of squirrel out there and they can easly be squeesed in between habitats
 
Great Argus said:
Less than 30 squirrels at 15 facilities is pushing towards rare I'd say. Supposedly there is increasing interest again so we'll see what happens there.

The winner though is definitely the Prairie Dog as already mentioned, with potentially more than a thousand in the AZA alone.

There are or have been various squirrels about, just not in any real capacity.
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They definitely seem to be spreading to roadside zoos/private facilities, even if there is decline in the AZA. I’ve seen more and more places online offer them, and variegated squirrels are showing up in newly opened roadside zoos and private menageries much more often now.
 
AndyJ08 said:
They definitely seem to be spreading to roadside zoos/private facilities, even if there is decline in the AZA. I’ve seen more and more places online offer them, and variegated squirrels are showing up in newly opened roadside zoos and private menageries much more often now.
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I suspect the private squirrel market is growing as the popularity of social media folks with pet squirrels also grows. Peanut the squirrel comes to mind as the most recent big example (though he was seized and euthanized in 2024). Twiggy also comes to mind.

This is all idle speculation- I have no tangible example of growth to point to. Searching for "squirrel" on exoticanimalsforsale mostly yields squirrel monkeys and flying squirrels, though there are some grey squirrels.
 
filovirus said:
I suspect the private squirrel market is growing as the popularity of social media folks with pet squirrels also grows. Peanut the squirrel comes to mind as the most recent big example (though he was seized and euthanized in 2024). Twiggy also comes to mind.

This is all idle speculation- I have no tangible example of growth to point to. Searching for "squirrel" on exoticanimalsforsale mostly yields squirrel monkeys and flying squirrels, though there are some grey squirrels.
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With regards to an increase of popularity within the private sector in England, I personally think it will definitely happen because currently there is no legislation for keeping them and with the new legislation for keeping small primates (from April 6th 2026) which requires that all small primates to be licensed with very strict criteria, one of which is to keep animals in zoo like conditions(which most current owners won't/couldn't achieve) will make keeping squirrels, in my opinion, an attractive alternative.
 
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