Pardel roller

Pardel roller

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The cute Pardel's Roller(Nandinia binotata) is a typical forest dweller that is widespread from Senegal in West Africa to Zimbabwe in the south-east. In the rainforests, this excellent climber usually spends its time in the trees at a height of 10-30 metres. Fruits make up the majority of its diet, which makes it an important seed disperser. On occasion, however, it does not disdain insects, small rodents, eggs or carrion.

The nocturnal Pardelrollers are solitary animals with their own territory in the treetops. With the help of glands under the soles of their feet, they mark the branches on which they climb with their individual scent trails. If a conspecific invades the territory, fierce fights can break out, sometimes even leading to the death of one of the rivals.

The relationship of the Pardelroller was only recently clarified: In 2005, scientists used molecular biological studies to prove that Nandinia binotata is not, as previously assumed, a member of the Viverridae family, but is the only species of its own family, the Nandiinidae. Together with the viverrids and the cats, the Nandiniidae belong to the feline suborder Feliformia.