Squirrels of the World

Funisciurus congicus 215

Republic of the Congo). The ventral pelage is washed with
yellow, and the sides of the face and ears are ochraceous.
F. c. tanganyikae—north of Lake Tanganyika, into Burundi.
The body color is darker and the limbs are a brighter
ochraceous color. The legs are a brighter ochraceous than
the feet.

conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population
trend—no information.

habitat: Carruther’s mountain squirrel thrives in dense
moist montane forests, at elevations from 1500 to 2800 m.
Individuals in the western part of the Albertine Rift in east-
ern Democratic Republic of the Congo prefer primary for-
ests dominated by Pygeum africanum, as well as sougé (Pari-
nari excelsa), Conopharyngia durissima, and Albizia gummifera;
and secondary forests with Macaranga kilimandscharica, Bri-
delia bridelifolia, Sapium ellipticum, Maesa lanceolata, Neobouto-
nia microcalyx, and Poliscias fulva. The animal does not sur-
vive well in cultivated areas, but it can live in the high-altitude
African redwood tree (Hagenia) that colonizes disturbed re-
gions. Funisciurus carruthersi may be sympatric with Heliosci-
urus ruwenzorii, sharing both habitat and diet.

natural history: The behavior and social structure of F.
carruthersi are largely unknown, due to its skittish personal-
ity. The animals are active soon after dawn and throughout
the day into the early evening, and they range from being on
the ground to ascending into high tiers of vegetation. Indi-
viduals are most often observed alone, though they have
been seen in pairs. They occasionally emit a hoarse-sound-
ing “quack” that resembles the call of P. lucifer. Carruther’s
mountain squirrel is primarily vegetarian, preferring gourds
and the fruits of Bridelia, Alchornea, Carapa grandifl ora, and

Strombosia scheffl eri, but it may also consume insects. This

species’ most signifi cant avian predators are Cassin’s Hawk-

Eagle (Aquila africana) and Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle (Hieraaetus

ayresii), as well as genets (Genetta). The squirrels construct

large nests in woody vines and line them with small pieces

of bark from a shrub known by the Bakiga people as emi-

nawa. Females have six nipples, and they have been ob-

served lactating in May.

general references: Kaleme et al. 2007; Kingdon 1974;

Linnaeus 1758; Schlitter 1989.

Funisciurus congicus (Kuhl, 1820)

Congo Rope Squirrel

description: This small brown squirrel is characterized

by the distinct pairs of stripes that run along its fl ank from

the shoulder to the tail: a wide, cream-colored stripe on top,

and a narrower dark brown stripe below. The dorsal pelage

appears golden brown, with individual hairs that are black

at the base and dark yellow or black at the tips. The ventral

pelage, ear tips, cheeks, and throat are white; but the head is

crested with brown fur. The eyes are framed above and be-

low by white streaks. The outer surfaces of the limbs are

cream colored, while the inner surfaces are white. The ani-

mal’s tail is equal in length to its body, with bushy black-

and-buff hair on top; the white underside of the tail is

Funisciurus carruthersi. Photo courtesy Marcell Claassen.