Heliosciurus undulatus

267.

Zanj Sun Squirrel

Heliosciurus undulatus

French: Ecureuil zanj / German: Zanj-Sonnenhdrnchen / Spanish: Ardila sol Zanj

Taxonomy. Sciurus undulatus True, 1892,

“Mount Kilima-Njaro [= Mt. Kilimanja-

ro],”

Tanzania.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. SE Kenya and NE Tanzania, as well as on Zanzibar and Mafia Is.

Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 241-1 mm (males) and 235-3 mm (females), tail mean 261-9 mm (males) and 270 mm (females); weight mean 315 g. The Zanj Sun Squirrel is medium-sized and has brown gray dorsum, with wash of light gray to orange-ocher on cheeks and feet. Venter ranges from light gray to ocher. Long thin annulated tail has 10-14 alternating black and buff bands.

Habitat. Coastal and riparian forests, lowland and montane forests and thickets, and secondary growth forests up to elevations of 2000 m on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Food and Feeding. The Zanj Sun Squirrel is an opportunistic omnivore that feeds heavily on fruits, seeds, palm dates, leaves, and buds; it also eats insects when available.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. Zanj Sun Squirrels are diurnal and nest in hollows of tree trunks and branches.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Information on extent of occurrence, status, population trends, and ecological requirements of the Zanj Sun Squirrels is scarce. Habitat is threatened by heavy resource extraction and conversion to agricultural lands.

Bibliography. Grimshaw et al. (1995), Grubb (1982), Kingdon (1974, 1997), Schennum & Thorington (2013), Thorington etal. (2012).