Smith's bush squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi), also known as the yellow-footed squirrel or tree squirrel, is an African bush squirrel which is native to woodlands of the southern Afrotropics.
Its total length is 350 mm, half of which is tail. This species only weighs 200 g. The coat colour varies throughout the region. In the western and arid parts of its range, it is pale grey, and in the eastern localities, more brown. Its head and legs are a rusty colour. Colouration on the chest varies from yellowish to buff in the east, to white in the west. This squirrel's belly is white. These alert and ever busy creatures carry their long tails extended backwards.[3]
Dietedit
Smith's bush squirrels are primarily vegetarian, but like most rodents, they take insect prey and use their front feet to manipulate food items when feeding. They scatter-hoard seeds next to tree trunks or grass tufts, thereby facilitating tree regeneration.
Essentially arboreal animals, they also spend a great deal of time on the ground, foraging for food. When disturbed, Smith's bush squirrels always seek the refuge of trees. At night, territorial family groups nest together in holes in trees. Offspring become sexually mature between six and nine months old, when they are forcibly evicted by the breeding pair. The males are mainly responsible for territorial defense, although females also chase intruders when they care for dependent pups. To promote group cohesion, a common scent is shared by mutual grooming, which is an important facet of the social fibre of this species. Smith's bush squirrels are diligent in their grooming and a mother tree squirrel holds her offspring down with her fore legs while grooming it with licks, nibbles, and scratches with her claws.
Defense strategiesedit
A conspicuous feature of their behaviour when under threat is 'mobbing': all the members of the colony make harsh clicking sounds while they flick their tails, building up momentum and gradually getting louder. In some areas, they are solitary, or are found in small family groups; a lone tree squirrel relies on its wits when in danger and always keeps a branch or the trunk of a tree between it and the enemy.[3] Smith's bush squirrels are always alert, and when alarmed, run away with great speed, making for the nearest tree where they lie motionless, flattened against a branch.
^Thorington, R.W. Jr.; Hoffmann, R.S. (2005). "Family Sciuridae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 26158608.
^ abc"The Tree Squirrel - Paraxerus cepapi of Southern Africa".
November 27, 2023
smith, bush, squirrel, paraxerus, cepapi, also, known, yellow, footed, squirrel, tree, squirrel, african, bush, squirrel, which, native, woodlands, southern, afrotropics, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotaking. Smith s bush squirrel Paraxerus cepapi also known as the yellow footed squirrel or tree squirrel is an African bush squirrel which is native to woodlands of the southern Afrotropics Smith s bush squirrelConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder RodentiaFamily SciuridaeGenus ParaxerusSpecies P cepapiBinomial nameParaxerus cepapiA Smith 1836Subspecies 2 P c cepapi P c bororensis P c carpi P c cepapoides P c chobiensis P c phalaena P c quotus P c sindi P c soccatus P c yulei Contents 1 Range 2 Appearance 3 Diet 4 Breeding 5 Defense strategies 6 ReferencesRange editIt is found in Angola Botswana the DRCongo Malawi Mozambique Namibia South Africa Tanzania Zambia and Zimbabwe It is a common rodent which is diurnal by nature 3 Appearance editIts total length is 350 mm half of which is tail This species only weighs 200 g The coat colour varies throughout the region In the western and arid parts of its range it is pale grey and in the eastern localities more brown Its head and legs are a rusty colour Colouration on the chest varies from yellowish to buff in the east to white in the west This squirrel s belly is white These alert and ever busy creatures carry their long tails extended backwards 3 Diet editSmith s bush squirrels are primarily vegetarian but like most rodents they take insect prey and use their front feet to manipulate food items when feeding They scatter hoard seeds next to tree trunks or grass tufts thereby facilitating tree regeneration Breeding edit nbsp Pair at Kruger National ParkEssentially arboreal animals they also spend a great deal of time on the ground foraging for food When disturbed Smith s bush squirrels always seek the refuge of trees At night territorial family groups nest together in holes in trees Offspring become sexually mature between six and nine months old when they are forcibly evicted by the breeding pair The males are mainly responsible for territorial defense although females also chase intruders when they care for dependent pups To promote group cohesion a common scent is shared by mutual grooming which is an important facet of the social fibre of this species Smith s bush squirrels are diligent in their grooming and a mother tree squirrel holds her offspring down with her fore legs while grooming it with licks nibbles and scratches with her claws Defense strategies editA conspicuous feature of their behaviour when under threat is mobbing all the members of the colony make harsh clicking sounds while they flick their tails building up momentum and gradually getting louder In some areas they are solitary or are found in small family groups a lone tree squirrel relies on its wits when in danger and always keeps a branch or the trunk of a tree between it and the enemy 3 Smith s bush squirrels are always alert and when alarmed run away with great speed making for the nearest tree where they lie motionless flattened against a branch References edit Grubb P 2008 Paraxerus cepapi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008 Retrieved 6 January 2009 old form url Thorington R W Jr Hoffmann R S 2005 Family Sciuridae In Wilson D E Reeder D M eds Mammal Species of the World a taxonomic and geographic reference 3rd ed The Johns Hopkins University Press pp 754 818 ISBN 0 8018 8221 4 OCLC 26158608 a b c The Tree Squirrel Paraxerus cepapi of Southern Africa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Smith 27s bush squirrel amp oldid 1183166141, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
