#alpine chipmunk

Alpine Chipmunk (Tamias alpinus)

(Photo from Animal Spot)

Conservation Status- Least Concern

Habitat- Sierra Nevada Mountains

Size (Weight/Length)- 10 cm

Diet- Seeds; Berries; Fungi

Cool Facts- Bears and chipmunks have more in common than you might think. They both experience torpor rather than hibernation, meaning that they can wake up during winter if they really wanted to. The alpine chipmunk’s heart beats an average of 350 times a minute during summer as they feast on alpine seeds. They never drink water, instead getting all the liquid they need from the plants they eat. Once temperatures fall below 4 degrees Celsius, their heart rate falls to only 4 beats a minute. However, when an alpine chipmunk grows hungry, they can increase their heart rate enough to wake up and stumble to their food store before sinking back into sleep.