Congo redshank squirrel
| Congo redshank squirrel | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Funisciurus congicus | ||||||||||||
| ( Kuhl , 1820) |
The Congo African striped squirrel ( Funisciurus congicus ) is a rodent of the family of squirrels that forests in southwestern Africa inhabited. It is common in the north to the Congo River . Its distribution area extends from the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Angola to northern Namibia .
features
Adult Congo redshank squirrels reach a total length of about 30 cm, with over half of the body length being on the tail. The upper side of the body is brown to yellow-brown in color, but is interrupted on both sides of the body by a white stripe that extends from the shoulders to the pelvic region. The ventral side is colored white. The animals have relatively large eyes rimmed with white. The tail is carried half erect over the back during activity.
Way of life
Congo redshank squirrels live in family groups and go looking for food together. There are seeds , fruits , leaves and insects eaten. They stay on the ground as well as in the trees when foraging. The individuals warn each other of predators by shouting . Different warning calls are emitted depending on whether the danger comes from birds of prey or ground-dwelling predators. Sleep nests are built from plant material in forks of branches, but the animals also rest in tree hollows.
As a rule, a litter includes two young animals born in March or October.
Danger
The species is classified by the IUCN as least concern , i.e. not endangered. The stocks are considered stable.
literature
- Gus Mills, Lex Hes: Mammals of Southern Africa. An illustrated encyclopedia. Könmann, Cologne 1999, ISBN 3-8290-3610-8 .
Web links
- Entry for Funisciurus congicus on the IUCN website (accessed January 9, 2015)