Adorable Finlayson's squirrels now found throughout newly opened Bidadari Park

Residents of Bidadari, or perhaps those who have visited the area, may have spotted an unusual critter frolicking through the greenery.

A closer look would reveal the movement to be squirrels, but not just any squirrel.

The Finlayson's squirrel can be distinguished from its much more common relative, the plantain squirrel, by its highly distinct, bicoloured coat.

These adorable but non-native creatures were introduced to Singapore via the exotic pet trade in the 1990s.

For some reason, their population has been limited to the Bidadari area, and to nearby Bartley.

It seems that they have yet to be sighted in other parts of Singapore.

Resident of the park

Since the opening of the new Bidadari Park, it seems the squirrels have been relishing the extra greenery.

Wildlife and nature enthusiasts have spotted them frisking throughout the park.

One wildlife photographer, David Yeo, believes that they can be found "everywhere in the park".

During a visit to the park on Sep. 18, he told Mothership he spotted the Finlayson's squirrel 10 times.

Alvin Wee, another photographer, spotted 20 individuals during his Sep. 21 trip there — though he caveated that he was uncertain how many times the same individual appeared.

He shared with Mothership that he had long heard of the Finlayson's squirrels in the area, but had never had the chance to head down to photograph them until the opening of the park.

"The squirrels seemed rather comfortable with human presence and are often seen zipping through the trees and bushes just two to three metres away from us," he said.

Wee even managed to capture a shot of a juvenile squirrel, which sports a chestnut brown colouration over its entire body.

He shared that this was the only juvenile Finlayson's squirrel he saw.

More about the Finlayson's squirrel

This species is native to Thailand, where it is a common species of urban squirrel there.

A Today Online article from 2014 suggested that being a "fairly aggressive" squirrel, the Finlayson's squirrel might be pushed outward from its Bidadari habitat due to development in the area, thus posing a threat to native species.

It also posited that the squirrel might need to be culled or removed.

The National Parks Board (NParks) confirmed in 2023 that no measures have been taken thus far.

According to Ryan Lee, Group Director of the National Biodiversity Centre at NParks:

"In Singapore, the Finlayson’s squirrel has few natural predators, so there is potential for their population to increase uncontrollably.

However, as the distribution of the Finlayson’s Squirrel is currently limited to Bidadari, Woodleigh and Upper Aljunied, and we have also not recorded sightings of them in our nature reserves, there is no immediate concern for this species."

Top photo courtesy of David Yeo and Alvin Wee