Mammals
Cape Ground Squirrel
Xerus inauris · also called South African ground squirrel
Foraging under the blazing midday sun with its bushy tail arched overhead like a parasol, a Cape ground squirrel stays alert for the alarm calls of its colony mates, a highly social burrower well adapted to some of southern Africa’s harshest, hottest terrain.
Overview
The Cape ground squirrel, Xerus inauris, is a highly social, burrowing rodent native to desert and savanna habitat across parts of southern Africa. Its ingenious tail-shading behaviour, large cooperative burrow colonies, and distinctive social tail-wagging displays make it one of the more behaviourally sophisticated rodents found anywhere in Africa’s arid regions.
A built-in sunshade for the hottest hours
Rather than avoiding the desert sun entirely, the Cape ground squirrel simply brings its own shade wherever it goes, arching its bushy tail overhead in a simple but effective adaptation that lets it forage confidently even during the hottest parts of the day.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and locally abundant across suitable desert and savanna habitat throughout parts of southern Africa.
Cape Ground Squirrel: common questions
Why does the Cape ground squirrel hold up its tail?
This species holds its long, bushy tail arched up over its back to create shade, a behaviour that helps it tolerate foraging in direct sun across some of the hottest, driest habitat in southern Africa, effectively functioning as a portable parasol.
How social is the Cape ground squirrel?
This species is highly social, living in large, complex burrow systems shared by numerous individuals, with strong social bonds and cooperative alarm calling used to warn the wider colony whenever a predator is spotted nearby.
Why do male Cape ground squirrels wag their tails at each other?
This species shows a distinctive tail-wagging display among males, believed to play a role in signalling social status and managing interactions between individuals both within a colony and when encountering members of neighbouring colonies.
Is the Cape ground squirrel active during the day or at night?
This species is diurnal, foraging during daylight hours across open, sun-exposed terrain, relying on its shade-creating tail and quick access to its burrow system to cope with the intense heat of its desert and savanna habitat.