230 Heliosciurus ruwenzoriiHeliosciurus ruwenzorii (Schwann, 1904)
Ruwenzori Sun Squirrel
description: The Ruwenzori sun squirrel is a medium- to
large-sized squirrel, distinguished from other Heliosciurus
species by the white stripe running down the ventral pelage
of some subspecies. The dorsal pelage and limbs are me-
dium gray; the chin, throat, chest, and ventral pelage are
pure white. The long slender tail is conspicuously ringed
with gray and white bands.
size: Female—HB 209.0 mm (n = 10); T 249.3 mm (n = 7).
Male—HB 224.5 mm (n = 16); T 252.6 mm (n = 14); Mass
305.0 g (n = 1).
Sex not stated—HB 227.3 mm (n = 3); T 274.0 mm (n = 3);
Mass 291.0 g (n = 1).
distribution: This species is found in eastern Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo, western Uganda, Rwanda, and
Burundi.
geographic variation: Four subspecies are recognized.
H. r. ruwenzorii—Ruwenzori Mountains, at elevations from
1900 to 2000 m (Democratic Republic of the Congo). See
description above.
H. r. ituriensis—mountains west of Lake Albert (on the bor-
der between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Uganda), near Djalasinda (= Djalasiga) and Djugu. It has a
darker ventral pelage and tail than H. r. ruwenzorii, with
paler brown hair on the hind feet.
H. r. schoutedeni—Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda,
and Rwanda, in the mountains to the west and northwest
of Lake Edward and Lake Kivu, as well as the Virunga
Mountains. The lower face and feet are brown. A tan color-
ation surrounds the white strip on the ventral pelage.
H. r. vulcanius—a lpine forests, at elevations above 2000 m, in
the Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda), through
northwest Burundi to the northwest of Lake Tanganyika
(Democratic Republic of the Congo). This form is charac-
terized by a brown black dorsal pelage speckled with
buff. It has a red coloration on the feet and alongside the
white stripe on the ventral pelage.conservation: IUCN—least concern. Population trend—
no information.habitat: The Ruwenzori sun squirrel is generally found in
alpine habitats ranging from 1600 to 2700 m in elevation, and
it survives in patches of secondary forest and cultivated land.
Its subspecies tolerate a spectrum of disturbances, with H. r.
schoutedeni preferring forest edges and lightly wooded areas,
H. r. ituriensis selecting transitional and gallery forests, H. r.
vulcanius preferring sparsely forested and cultivated areas, and
H. r. ruwenzorii generalizing among all montane forest types.natural history: Ruwenzori sun squirrels are diurnal
and arboreal, living near the ground and in lower vegetationHeliosciurus ruwenzorii. Photo courtesy Jon Hall, http://www.mam
malwatching.com.