Cape Ground Squirrel

Cape Ground Squirrel

Xerus inauris

40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
119 Verified records at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Cape ground squirrel or South African ground squirrel (Geosciurus inauris) is found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia, including Etosha National Park. The name Cape ground squirrel is somewhat misleading as it actually has a much wider area of habitation. This common name may have been arrived at to distinguish it from a tree squirrel (the eastern grey squirrel) found around Cape Town, which was imported from Europe by Cecil John Rhodes. The species has also been known as the fan-tailed squirrel. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Ground Squirrel sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 119 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Cape Four-striped Grass Mouse
LC

Cape Four-striped Grass Mouse

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rhabdomys pumilio

20–30% · Possible
Springhare
LC

Springhare

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Pedetes capensis

10–20% · With luck
Black-tailed Tree Rat
LC

Black-tailed Tree Rat

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Thallomys nigricauda

10–20% · With luck
Cape Porcupine
LC

Cape Porcupine

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Hystrix africaeaustralis

5–10% · With luck
Brants's Whistling Rat
LC

Brants's Whistling Rat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Parotomys brantsii

5–10% · With luck
Damara Mole Rat
LC

Damara Mole Rat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Fukomys damarensis

Insufficient data
Desert Pygmy Mouse
LC

Desert Pygmy Mouse

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Mus indutus

Insufficient data
Bushveld Gerbil
LC

Bushveld Gerbil

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Gerbilliscus leucogaster

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
60–70
Feb
50–60
Mar
40–50
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
50–60
Jul
50–60
Aug
40–50
Sep
50–60
Oct
30–40
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
2 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
40–50%
3 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
30–40%
4 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
5 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Cape Ground Squirrel in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

About 49% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Ground Squirrel sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 119 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Cape Ground Squirrel in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Cape Ground Squirrel in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in our monthly data.

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