#sciuridae

Variegated Squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides atrirufus), family Sciuridae, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Siberian Flying Squirrel Pteromys volans

It is found across northern Europe and Asia, mainly in Siberia, from Finland to Korea and Hokkaido, Japan. They favor old forests with a mix of conifers and deciduous trees. They are mostly nocturnal, and do not hibernate. The EU, Finland and Estonia have launched a six-year, 8.9 million euro project to help protect the squirrel.

An Uinta chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus) sunbathes on a rock in Zion National Park, Utah, USA

BUGGED UP EASTERN CHIPMUNK - Composition Tuesday

Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus). Family Sciuridae, order Rodentia.

The number 13 is considered to be unlucky by some people-- but not the thirteen-lined ground squirrel! This species is named for the 13 alternating stripes running down its back-- but there's much more to them than that! When the weather turns, individuals enter a state of torpor; their heart rate slows to just 3-5 beats per minute, and their breathing slows to only one breath every five minutes. During this time, their body temperature may drop as low as 4°C (39.2°F)! They can spend several weeks this way, and then revive themselves for a short bout of intense activity before going right back into torpor; if they're lucky, they can survive almost six months this way!