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Ground squirrel


Ground squirrel
Photo Information
Copyright: Annick Vanderschelden (vanderschelden) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2712 W: 78 N: 7405] (30147)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-12-12
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III, Canon 400mm 2.8 IS
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Namibia, a photographer's dream
Theme(s): Etosha National Park [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-02-09 8:41
Viewed: 1207
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I think this might be the Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris).
The wikipedia article has been rated as start-class on the quality scale.
I think it belongs to
Subfamily Xerinae(terrestrial squirrels
Tribe Xerini) more specifically the spiny squirrels (3 genera, 6 species)

from wikipedia
Spiny squirrel is a book-name for a group of African ground squirrels, characterized by the spiny nature of the fur of the more typical forms.

They form the genus Xerus, which is split up into a number of subgenera; Xerus rutilus of Abyssinia and East Africa belonging to the typical group, while the striped North African Xerus getulus represents the sub-genus Atlantoxerus. The more typical species are characterized by the coarse spiny hair, the small size, or even absence of the ears, and the long, nearly straight, claws. The skull is narrower and longer than in typical squirrels, and there are distinctive features in the cheek-teeth; but the more aberrant types come much closer to squirrels.

Typical spiny squirrels differ from true squirrels in being completely terrestrial in their habits, and live either in clefts or holes of rocks, or in burrows which they dig themselves.


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cape Ground Squirrel


Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris)
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Rodentia

Family: Sciuridae

Genus: Xerus

Subgenus: Geosciurus

Species: X. inauris


Binomial name
Xerus inauris
(Zimmerman, 1780)

The Cape Ground Squirrel (Latin name Xerus inauris) is found in most of the drier parts of Southern Africa from South Africa through to Botswana and into Namibia.

The name Cape Ground Squirrel is somewhat misleading as it actually has a much wider area of distribution. This common name may have been arrived at to distinguish it from a tree squirrel found around Cape Town which was imported from Europe by settlars. Fortunately this introduced squirrel has remained in a narrow area in Cape Town and does not seem to be a negative influence on local fauna.

Photo has been captured close to Leeubron in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Capture time 10:30.

Thanks for looking. Bye
nglen, crs, adilakbar, Morigann, pekkavalo1, Tamrock, Royaldevon, fiyo, haraprasan, marhowie, Argus, eng55, eliz has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To PeterZ: Hallo Peter,vanderschelden 1 02-09 11:14
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2916 W: 34 N: 8651] (32250)
  • [2009-02-09 9:54]

Hi Annick. You must have seen so many different birds andd animals on you trip to africa. This Gound Squirrel is on the look out . I like the POV/DOF you have in the picture with fine detail and natural colours. With interesting notes. well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 652 W: 15 N: 1622] (6301)
  • [2009-02-09 10:08]

Hello Annick
Nice capture, good light and details. Well done.
regards.
Razvan

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2009-02-09 10:59]

Hello Annick,

The littel animal has a fine pose. It can be very well observed due to the excelent sharpness of the image. As it stays against the blurry background photo has a pleasent depth.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2398 W: 94 N: 5543] (17640)
  • [2009-02-09 11:01]
  • [+]

Hallo Annick,
Dit is inderdaad de Cape Ground Squirrel. Ik heb hier een foto van in een Collins Guide. Onmiskenbaar met de witte streep over het lijfje. Mooie foto weer vanuit een perfect standpunt genomen. Uitstekende scherpte en natuurlijke kleuren.
Groet,
Peter

  • Great 
  • erve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 90 W: 5 N: 119] (580)
  • [2009-02-09 11:35]

Hi annick.

Great capture of this cute little guy. his pose reminds me of the classic meerkat pose looking out for predators.

excellent sharpness and details also.

TFS

ewan

Excellent capture Annick. Very good composition, POV and very good pose. TFS - Regards - Adil.

Hello annick,
superb capture.
I like the pose of this cute animals.
Well done
Pierre

Hi Annick,
Excellent capture of this cute Ground Squirrel; great POV and composition, sharp details, natural colours, natural blurred BG.
TFS
Pekka

Ciao Annick, great capture of lovely creature in nice pose, perfect focus and splendid blurry BG, very well done, ciao Silvio

hi annick!
good shot on this little squirrel in a nice pose!
sharp and well composed
good work!

Hello Annick,

This certainly is a photographer's dream!
It must have been so entertaining watching this little fellow.

You have captured it with sharp focus, revealing the details of its fur and its characteristic pose.
The dof keeps the image in focus whist putting the b/g oof to avoid any distractions.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2009-02-09 16:00]

Hi Annick, Ground squirrel looks so cute.
Sharpness, POV and DOF are very excellent. Thank you so much for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2009-02-09 18:04]

Hi Annick,
Outstanding shot of this Squirrel in an exclusive pose. Very neat and sharp image with nice colours and details. The soft lighting is so beautiful and I like your POV to portray it. Superb DOF and composition.
TFS.
Sumon

Annick,

Nice low POV! Your shot feels like we're right there beside it. Very nice work like always. TFS.

Best Regards,

Martin

Hi Annick,
A nice capture of this beautiful ground squirrel. The pose it is standing in looks like a meerkat. Superb sharp details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Annick,
Looks like the squirrel is trying to make up its mind?
To hole or not to hole, that is the question ;)
Cute shot, well done mf.
Howard

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3824 W: 190 N: 11393] (35107)
  • [2009-02-10 7:04]

Hello Annick,
The pose, low side POV, technical qualities, OOF neutral BG and composition make this a superb portrait of the Cape ground Squirrel, a species new to me. New to TN?
TFS,
Best regards,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1151 W: 32 N: 1192] (3654)
  • [2009-02-10 10:17]

Hi Annick,
Very nice capture.Sharpness,framing,lighting,exposure and details are perfect.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • eliz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 167 W: 22 N: 269] (1535)
  • [2009-02-10 10:45]

again a fantastic image from you. very beautiful details and nice species

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2009-02-10 20:50]

Annick,Fantastic pose and lovely capture. The details are so beautiful and I like the view here. Ganesh

Nice capture, good light and details. Well done.

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