African striped squirrel

Lady Burton Rotschenkelhörnchen ( Funisciurus isabella )

The Rotschenkelhörnchen or African chipmunk ( Funisciurus ) are a genus of squirrels, which is native to African rainforests. They are small and agile animals whose fur is patterned mostly in shades of red-brown and black. In addition, sometimes yellow brown sections. Some species have the type of unrelated chipmunks longitudinal stripes on its back. The lower hand is always white. The body length is depending on the type 15 to 25 cm, added 10 to 20 cm tail. We distinguish nine types:

• Carruthers - Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus carruthersi Thomas 1906, Rwenzori Mountains
• Lady Burton Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus isabella (Gray 1862), Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo
• Banded Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus lemniscatus (Le Conte 1857), Cameroon, Central African Republic, DR Congo
• Congo Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus congicus ( Kuhl 1820), DR Congo, Angola, Namibia
• Lunda Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus bayonii ( Bocage, 1890), DR Congo, Angola
• Kintampo - Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus substriatus De Winton 1899, West Africa
• Rotwangenhörnchen, Funisciurus leucogenys ( Waterhouse 1842), West Africa
• Feuerfußhörnchen, Funisciurus pyrropus ( Cuvier 1833), West and Central Africa
• Thomas Rotschenkelhörnchen, Funisciurus anerythrus ( Thomas 1890), Central Africa

Little is known about the way of life. Like other squirrels looking for nuts these animals, seeds and fruits and occasionally eat insects and bird eggs. They build nests out of plant materials in the branches of the trees and move there, on average, two big boy.

None of the species is considered endangered. Also the Carruthers - Rotschenkelhörnchen, which was led until recently by the IUCN as an endangered species, was reset unthreatened in the status in 2004. However, some types so little known that no statement about their population size can be made.