Watch: Rare 'vampire squirrel' captured on video
Digital Reporter
Friday, September 4, 2015, 11:29 AM - It seems squirrels aren't as cute as they want you to believe.
Legend has it the Rheithrosciurus macrotis, a Bornean tufted ground squirrel, sucks blood.
Researchers say they managed to capture the mysterious rodent, which hides in the hilly forests of Borneo, on video for the first time.
It is believed the squirrel will attack forest deer and drink their blood.
The 35-cm long rodent is twice the size of most tree squirrels and has the bushiest tail of any mammal compared with its body size, according to Science Magazine.
The camera was set up in the Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia by conservation biologist Andrew Marshall in collaboration with Dr. Heiko Wittmer and Endro Setiawan. Over 30 motion-triggered video cameras were set up throughout the reserve in effort to study the ecology of the park.
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The team of researchers hope to gain additional video in order to learn more about the biological makeup of the rodent. For example, more footage may reveal whether the fluffy tail has any role in attracting mates, Science Magazine reports.
While it's possible the squirrel could eventually be caught drinking deer blood on-camera, researchers say it's unlikely.
"I would be very surprised if it were true," Andrew Marshall, a conservation biologist who works with the park staff told Science Magazine.
While the squirrel prefers to eat nuts from canarium trees, Science Magazine reports, local hunters have seen the rodent perch on low branches, target and jump onto deers, attacking their jugular veins.
"The video is a good reminder of how little we still know about most species on Borneo and how much we can learn," Erik Meijaard, a conservation scientist with Borneo Futures in Jakarta, told Science Magazine.
Source: YouTube | Science Magazine
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