Samar squirrel

The Samar squirrel (Sundasciurus samarensis) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae and belongs to the genus Sundasciurus. It was historically known by the local name lalagsing. The species is endemic to the Philippines, where it has been recorded from the islands of Samar and Leyte, and it was described by Joseph Beal Steere in 1890. It thrives in primary and secondary lowland and montane forest, including the lower edges of mossy forest, and it is also found in some agricultural areas; its natural habitat is given as subtropical or tropical dry forests. The article says it is threatened by habitat loss caused by expanding human activities, by hunting, and by the lack of basic knowledge about the species.