Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Chinese scientists have identified a new species of squirrel in a national nature reserve in the southwest of the country, Azernews reports.

The discovery was announced by the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which published its findings in the Journal of Systematics and Evolution. The newly described species, tentatively referred to as “Mopbie squirrel”, was documented during an expedition conducted in July and August 2024.

During the fieldwork, the research team collected several specimens while surveying small mammal biodiversity in the reserve. By combining genomic data with detailed morphological analysis, the scientists confirmed that the animal represents a species previously unknown to science.

According to researchers, the small Mopbie squirrel is highly agile, capable of slipping into narrow crevices and burrows to forage for insects and other tiny prey. It also exhibits several unique anatomical traits that distinguish it from closely related species.

Early observations suggest that this squirrel may use a series of rapid, high-frequency chirps to communicate in dense forest habitats — a behavior the team plans to investigate further.