Tree squirrels in a boer-bean

There are five species of tree squirrels in southern Africa and two more terrestrial ones, all bushy-tailed. Squirrels are diurnal rodents, often found in woodland or bushveld, making nests in tree cavities they discover, either natural or made by birds like barbets. It is nimble, doing 2 m jumps between branches as part of normal travels.

The tree squirrel eats seeds, nuts, fruit, leaves, flowers and thorn tree gum. Being omnivores, it also eat ants, termites and other insects. Huddling together in cold weather and sleeping together, they usually forage alone. 

Squirreling away food in hoarding sites, sometimes “scatter-hoarded” in many places, is what these animals are known for. Maybe not so much the raiding of each other’s stashes. Tree squirrels hoard hard food items like seeds and nuts, consuming pulp fruit directly.

The grey-speckled, sand coloured to yellow-brown tree squirrel coats vary across geographical regions, greyer to the west of the country, browner to the east. Territory is scent-marked and defended aggressively by each group of about five, led by a dominant male.

Up to three young are produced after gestation of 55 days. The young are sexually mature after ten months. The adult weighs about 200 g.

Their natural enemies include birds of prey, snakes, genets and small cats. Photographed here in a comfortable two-seater fork of a weeping boer-bean tree, they are alert, not alarmed. Tree-dwellers no longer expect the worst from cameras. Not quite posing, they may be eyeing likely places where the next edible item might be discovered soon (Riëtte, 2016; http://www.krugerpark.co.za).