This order, contains a single family Tupaiidae, with 5 recent genera and 16 species. These animals are found in forested areas of eastern Asia from India and southwestern China eastward through the Malay Peninsula to Borneo and the Philippines. This group has been difficult to classify, sometimes being grouped with the Macroscelididae or in suborders of the Insectivora.

In external appearance, tree shrews resemble long-snouted squirrels. They also tend to be diurnal, and some of their actions and movements are comparable. They are swift runners, progressing in a series of leaps. But they are also good climbers, seeking their food in trees as well as on the ground. They have keen senses of smell and hearing as well as good vision. Their diet consists mainly of insects and fruits, and may also include plant material.

Family Tupaiidae

• Common Treeshrew (Tupaia glis)