- Where to see one
- 8 U.S. zoos in our directory hold northern tree shrew, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
- Native range
- Southeast Asia
- Weight
- 0.44 lb (0.2 kg)
- Lifespan
- Up to 11 years
About the northern tree shrew
The northern tree shrew is a treeshrew species native to Southeast Asia. It was first named Cladobates belangeri in 1841 by the German zoologist Johann Andreas Wagner, based on specimens collected in Pegu during a French expedition; those specimens had originally been described in 1834 by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, who did not consider them distinct enough from Tupaia tana to warrant their own species.
Adults weigh about 0.44 lb (0.2 kg). One of the species' more unusual traits is its body temperature, which swings from 95°F (35°C) at night to 104°F (40°C) during the day — a larger daily range than is typical of warm-blooded animals, suggesting that its circadian rhythms for body temperature and activity are closely linked. The northern tree shrew is also, besides humans, the only mammal known to willingly eat spicy food, a tolerance traced to a genetic mutation that makes it much less sensitive to capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat.
The species' place on the mammalian family tree has been debated. An analysis of complete mitochondrial genome data suggested Tupaia is more closely related to rabbits than to primates. More recent full-genome sequencing points the other way, placing the species closer to primates — with a divergence estimated around 90.9 million years ago — than to rodents and lagomorphs, whose lineage is estimated to have split off around 96.4 million years ago.
Behavior and diet
Detailed information on the northern tree shrew's daily behavior, social structure, feeding habits, and reproduction is limited; its best-documented traits are the temperature cycle and capsaicin tolerance described above.
Range and habitat
The northern tree shrew is native to Southeast Asia. No further detail on its specific habitat is documented.
Conservation status
The northern tree shrew is listed as Least Concern (LC).
Northern tree shrews in research
The species has become a notable subject in medical research. In 2002, researchers described using its primary hepatocytes as a model for studying hepatitis C, a major cause of chronic hepatitis worldwide. It has also been used in studies of photoreception, retinal cone development, and the refractive properties of the eye, since its eye structure and vision more closely resemble those of humans than do those of conventional laboratory rodents.
Where to see northern tree shrew in the U.S.
8 zoos across 6 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 8 zoos holding northern tree shrew by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
District of Columbia· 1
Illinois· 2
Indiana· 2
Michigan· 1
Oklahoma· 1
Virginia· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
Northern Tree Shrew: common questions
Is the northern tree shrew endangered?
No, it is listed as Least Concern.
How big does a northern tree shrew get?
Adults weigh about 0.44 lb (0.2 kg); a body length is not documented.
How long do northern tree shrews live?
The maximum recorded longevity is 11 years.
Where do northern tree shrews live in the wild?
They are native to Southeast Asia.
Which U.S. zoos have northern tree shrews?
6 zoos in our directory list the northern tree shrew, including Lincoln Park Zoo, Potter Park Zoo, and the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum.
