Animal Info -> Photo Gallery 9

South African Ground Squirrel

• Kingdom : Animalia
• Phylum : Chordata
• Class : Mammalia
• Order : Rodentia
• Family : Sciuridae
• Subfamily : Xerinae
• Tribe : Xerini
• Genus : Xerus

Its species are: Xerus Erythropus, Xerus Inauris, Xerus Princeps, Xerus Rutilus

The South African Ground Squirrel is called as Cape Ground Squirrel in England. This squirrel can grow up to 28 to 38 cm (11 to 15 inches) and about 500 to 1100 gm in weight. It is in tawny yellow color with a white strip on both sides of their body. It has two dark bands in their tail

This variety of squirrel is probably seen in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It has its habitat in open woodlands, grasslands or arid country sides where it digs a communal burrow

They can mainly feed on seeds, fruits, roots, grasses, shrubs, insects, pods, grains, bird’s eggs and small vertebrates. Like North American Prairie dogs they live in colonies. They can also kept as pets and a good pests to farmers

The South African Ground Squirrels are not likely to be hibernating; they can live in groups of about 1-3 females and 2-3 males. The male counting may exceed up to 9 in case of sub-adult females. There is no specific period of breeding in this species

The gestation period may exceed up to 48 to 52 days. It can breed one to three babies in one litter. At the tenth month, the female becomes sexually mature and the male at the eighth month

South African Impala

• Kingdom : Animalia
• Phylum : Chordata
• Class : Mammalia
• Order : Artiodactyla
• Family : Bovidae
• Subfamily : Aepycerotinae
• Genus : Aepyceros
• Species : Melampus

Impalas can grow up to 73 – 92 cm (29 – 36 inches) height. Male Impalas can weigh up to 46 – 76 kg whereas the female Impalas are about 37 – 50 kg. Impalas are normally reddish-brown in color. They have their habitat in savannas

They have lighter flanks, white underbellies along with a character “M” mark on its rear. Males are called as Rams and the females are called as Ewes. Males have lyre-shaped horns and females can lack this

The horns can grow up to 90 cm long. A rare type of Impala called Black Impala is found in few places in Africa. It is highly seen in Botlierskop Private Game Reserve of up to 150 black Impala and more and more red Impala

These species can form a group of about 100 individuals. The black coloration is got from the recessive gene found in the Black Impala. In both day and night times Impalas are seen to be active and they are mainly depend on water

Impalas can jump to a distance of about 10 meters (33 ft) and height of about 3 meters (9 ft.). Animals like Leopards, Cheetah, Lion and Wild Dogs prey on Impala. It can run to an extent of 80 – 90 km/h to escape from its predators

They can release a scent while escaping from predators, which can help them to stay together. The scent can be released by a high kick of their hind legs. Rutting, the breeding season of Impala can start towards the end of May, the wet season