The fire-footed rope squirrel (Funisciurus pyrropus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae.
Description It is a relatively small rodent with an adult averaging at a height of . Adults weigh between .
Habitat It is found in West and Central Africa from Senegal to Uganda and south to Angola. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, and plantations.
Diet They are primarily herbivores. Their main diet consists of fruit and seeds. When food is scarce, they resort to eating small termites and ants.
Mating Several male squirrels chase a single female squirrel in a ritualistic chase. They bear litters of one to two pups.
Zoonotic risk It is recognized as a potential zoonotic reservoir for the monkeypox virus (MPXV; Orthopoxvirus monkeypox), it has transmitted the virus to sooty mangabeys.Riutord-Fe, C., Schlotterbeck, J., Lagostina, L. et al. Transmission of MPXV from fire-footed rope squirrels to sooty mangabeys. Nature 651, 185–190 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-10086-y
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