Alexander's bush squirrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexander's bush squirrel |
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Paraxerus
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alexandri
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The Alexander's bush squirrel (Paraxerus alexandri) is a small, active squirrel. It lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda in Africa. These squirrels spend most of their lives in trees. They prefer tropical forests that are old and untouched.
This squirrel is quite common and lives across a large area. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a species of "least concern". This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing. The squirrel is named after Lieutenant Boyd Alexander. He was a British Army officer, explorer, and bird expert.
What It Looks Like
This is a very tiny squirrel. Its body is about 100 millimeters (4 inches) long. Its tail is a bit longer, around 110 millimeters (4.3 inches). It weighs between 40 to 70 grams (1.4 to 2.5 ounces).
Its fur is a mix of yellow, grey, and black. This gives it a greenish-brown look. A wide orange-brown stripe runs from its head to its back. This stripe has thin black lines on each side. Next to the black lines are narrow creamy-white stripes.
The squirrel's belly is a lighter greenish-brown. Sometimes it has yellowish spots. Its head is also greenish-brown. It has a white ring around its eyes. The edges of its ears are white. Its legs are greenish-brown. It has four toes on its front feet and five toes on its back feet. The tail gets thinner towards the end. It has medium-length hairs and faint brown and orange-brown bands.
Where It Lives
The Alexander's bush squirrel lives only in tropical Central Africa. You can find it in the northeast part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also lives in the eastern part of Uganda. Its home stretches from the White Nile River to the Lualaba River. It also goes from the Mbomou River in the north to the Lukuga River in the south. This whole area is about 387,450 square kilometers (149,600 square miles). These squirrels live in places that are between 500 and 1,500 meters (1,600 and 4,900 feet) high.
How It's Doing
This squirrel is found over a large area and is quite common. Scientists believe there are many of them. They also live in several protected areas, which helps keep them safe.
No major threats have been found for this squirrel. However, its home might be shrinking a bit. This happens when forests are cut down for farming. Still, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has checked on this squirrel. They have decided its conservation status is "least concern". This means it is not in danger right now.
