Africa Wild

Paraxerus cepapi (Tree Squirrel)


Mooiplaas picnic site, Kruger National Park

Not only cute
Male aggressive behavior towards juveniles in a family group of three squirrels, Paraxerus cepapi is described. Infanticide and subsequent sexual activity by the male leads to the conclusion that this is how a new male member in a group can increase his reproductive output.
(De Villiers D.J., 1986: Infanticide in the tree squirrel paraxerus cepapi. South African Journal Of Zoology: 183-184)

Paraxerus cepapi (Tree Squirrel)


Olifants, Kruger National Park


Babalala picnic site, Kruger National Park

Clever Rodents
Relative brain size has been calculated for 16 species of rodent from South Africa and is shown to vary with six species having a positive RBS (that is a brain larger than expected) and 10 a negative RBS. Arboreal species such as Paraxerus cepapi have relatively larger brains than do the fossorial root eaters and terrestrial follivores. It is suggested that the relatively large brains can be linked to the complex behavioural patterns necessary for locomotion in three dimensions and for utilization of a food resource such as insects that is randomly distributed in time and space. The three sciuromorph rodents (Xerus inauris, Paraxerus cepapi and Pedetes capensis) have very different life styles but all have a positive RBS and it is suggested that a relatively large brain may be a characteristic of the suborder.

Toko, do not ruin my infantile love for squirrels, please

Some more ground squirrel pics for you.

I love them all and I close my ears, eyes and mind to all the cruel facts of animal life and of course they are intelligent

nice choose
coming from Liz... I'm not surprise

You must have lots of squirrel pics, Nan

Lisbeth wrote:You must have lots of squirrel pics, Nan

will search

and do the quiz... after super