How do tree squirrels use different levels of a rainforest?

Tree squirrels are arboreal mammals that exhibit a wide range of vertical activity within tropical rainforests, utilizing different levels of the forest for foraging, nesting, and travel.1

Their use of these levels varies by species:

• High Canopy: Some species, such as the Oriental giant squirrels (Ratufa) and African giant squirrels (Protoxerus), are specialized to live almost exclusively in the high canopy and rarely descend to the ground.1
• Intermediate Levels: Species like the Sulawesi dwarf squirrel (Prosciurillus murinus) forage and travel primarily at levels between the forest floor and the canopy.1
• Ground and Understory: Certain large tropical squirrels, such as the Sulawesi giant squirrel (Rubrisciurus rubriventer) and the northern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus igniventris), nest at middle levels but forage low in the understory or on the ground.1
• Full Range: Other species, including the red-tailed squirrel (S. granatensis) of the American tropics, are active throughout the entire vertical range, from the forest floor to the canopy.1

These squirrels play a vital role in the ecosystem by acting as seed dispersers, helping to maintain the diversity of the plant community.2