African ground squirrel
African ground squirrels form a taxon of squirrels under the subfamily Xerinae. They are only found in Africa. There is another African ground squirrel of the genus
Atlantoxerus, the
Atlantoxerus getulus present in southwestern Morocco and northern Western Sahara. It is invasive in the Canary Islands since an introduction in 1971. There are four species of African ground squirrels divided into three subgenera: ▪
Genus Xerus ▪ Subgenus
Euxerus ▪ Striped Ground Squirrel,
Xerus erythropus ▪ Subgenus
Geosciurus ▪ Cape Ground Squirrel,
Xerus inauris ▪ Damara Ground Squirrel,
Xerus princeps ▪ Subgenus
Xerus ▪ Unstriped Ground Squirrel,
Xerus rutilus The squirrels live in open woodlands, grasslands, or rocky country. They are diurnal and terrestrial, living in burrows. Their diet is roots, seeds, fruits, pods, grains, insects, small vertebrates and bird eggs. They live in colonies similar to North American prairie dogs, and have similar behavior. Kept as pets, they run free as house cats do, otherwise farmers consider them pests.