Tupaia

A Tupaia is a type of treeshrew that lives in Southeast Asia.
It is not a squirrel, but it looks like one.
It has a long snout, a bushy tail, and sharp claws.
It is mostly brown or gray in color, with some stripes or spots on its back.
It is a small animal, about 15 to 20 cm long, and weighs between 50 and 200 grams.

A Tupaia is an active and agile creature that spends most of its time in the trees.
It feeds on insects, fruits, seeds, and sometimes small vertebrates.
It has a keen sense of smell and good eyesight.
It communicates with other Tupaias using vocalizations, scent marks, and body postures.
It is usually solitary or lives in pairs, but sometimes forms larger groups.

A Tupaia is also the name of a famous Tahitian navigator who joined James Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific in 1769.
He was a skilled sailor and a priest of the god Oro.
He helped Cook explore and map many islands, and acted as an interpreter and mediator with the local people.
He died in Batavia (now Jakarta) in 1770 from a disease he caught on board the ship.
He was admired by many Europeans for his intelligence and knowledge.