Central American dwarf squirrel

The Central American dwarf squirrel, also known as Alfaro's pygmy squirrel, Microsciurus alfari, is a small tree squirrel of the genus Microsciurus and the tribe Sciurini, found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. Despite its name it is not tiny: its head and body length is about 15 centimetres with a tail of about 12 centimetres, close to the measurements of the red and gray squirrels. Most of the body is dark olive-green and brown, with a reddish-brown head and underparts and limbs that range from yellowish grey to tawny grey. It typically lives in tropical rainforest, preferring heavy forest with vines in the undergrowth, which lets it drop to the ground and escape from predators. Shy and solitary, it is diurnal, although hunters have seen some at night, and it is very hard to observe because of its small size, dull colour and speed. Its diet is probably the usual squirrel mix of seeds, grains and nuts, including those of the ivory-nut palm. Because it is so elusive, its true numbers may be larger than recorded, and no squirrel in the genus is listed as endangered. Six subspecies are recognised.