The Gambian sun squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus) is a tree squirrel of the family Sciuridae that ranges across tropical Africa, from Senegal and the Gambia east to Ethiopia and Kenya, with a separate population farther south in Angola and Tanzania. The Irish naturalist William Ogilby described it in 1835 as Sciurus gambianus, and it is the type species of the genus Heliosciurus; it is probably a complex of several species. Adults measure about 170 to 240 millimetres in head and body, with a tail of 180 to 260 millimetres boldly ringed in black and white, and a grizzled, greyish coat with a paler ring around each eye. It lives in wooded savanna and other grassland with scattered trees as well as plantations and cultivated areas, moving mostly through the branches but sometimes coming down to the ground. It is common, tolerates human-modified habitat and is assessed as least concern by the IUCN.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) ThreatsOther or No Known Threats 2 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Conservation Status Body Size Band Activity Pattern Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)
In Biome
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In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Sources
1. Animal Diversity Web: Gambian sun squirrel (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity WebConservation Status
IUCN Red List Least Concern
Food Habits
Gambian sun squirrels have been seen eating everything from fruits, seeds, and the pods of Acacia species to insects, eggs, and young birds.
Habitat
Gambian sun squirrels prefer to live in tall, dense woodland savanna.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Perhaps their greatest contribution to humans is by becoming pets.
Conservation Status, living or extinct
is known to coexist quite peacefully with humans as well as other species of squirrels, and as a result is quite common in the tropics of Africa
Conservation Status, cites appendix
CITES No special status
Physical Description
Range mass 250 to 340 g
Behavior
They are diurnal animals, and at night they sleep in holes lined with freshly gathered leaves.
Lifespan/Longevity
There is one recording of its lifespan in captivity as eight years and eleven months.
View the Source 2. Gambian sun squirrel (Wikipedia)
Status
The population trend has not been evaluated
Status, threats
no particular threats have been recognised
Lead
It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Child Taxon Of: Heliosciurus, Taxonomy
It was designated the type species of the genus Heliosciurus
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