Ochre Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus ochraceus) lives in savanna woodland across Sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds on fruits and insects. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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A real field recording of the Ochre Bush Squirrel, made in the wild.
A body the size of a small hand, the ochre bush squirrel measures about 16 cm from nose to rump, roughly the length of a standard ruler, while its tail adds another 16 cm, giving it a total length comparable to a school ruler laid end-to-end. Males weigh just over a tenth of a kilogram, averaging 124 g, and females a bit more at 137 g, making them lighter than a deck of cards.
Living from sea level up to 2 500 m, the ochre bush squirrel thrives across savanna woodlands, semi-arid riverine forests and even human-altered landscapes like coffee and eucalyptus plantations around Nairobi. Its tolerance of disturbance means it can persist in suburban gardens.
Classified as Least Concern, the ochre bush squirrel shows stable population trends with no major threats identified, even as human land use expands. Its ability to live in modified habitats and its wide distribution across Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and South Sudan keep its numbers robust.
Breeding almost year-round, females typically raise 2-3 pups that leave the nest after just 2-3 weeks. This rapid turnover, combined with the species' social habit of nesting in pairs or small groups.
Eight recognized subspecies of ochre bush squirrel span from southern Sudan through Kenya to Tanzania, each sporting distinct coat hues, from pale gray-olive in P. o. animosus to deep greenish tones in P. o. jacksoni.
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At a glance
RangeSub-Saharan Africa
HabitatSavanna woodland
DietFruits and insects
About the Ochre Bush Squirrel
In the sun-drenched savannas, the ochre bush squirrel darts with reckless abandon, its tawny fur blending seamlessly into the golden grasses as it weaves a frenetic path through the underbrush. With each nimble bound, it seems to embody the very essence of unbridled energy, its large eyes shining like dark jewels as it pursues its relentless quest for seeds and fruits. As it pauses, momentarily, to survey its surroundings from the lofty perch of a thorn tree, its tiny chest heaves with exertion, a testament to the boundless vitality that drives this diminutive, yet irrepressible, creature.
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