#urocitellus

Columbian Ground Squirrel Urocitellus columbianus

A member of the marmot family found in western Canada and United States. Social encounters sometimes are initiated with kissing behavior and the most common activity above ground is standing at attention. Residing in mountainous terrain and high plains in northern latitudes, they hibernate for 8 to 9 months of the year in burrows, which may be used for many years.

Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus)

Piute Ground Squirrel Urocitellus mollis

It is endemic to the Great Basin region of the western United States, where it is found in parts of California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

Idaho Ground Squirrel Urocitellus brunneus

Found in dry meadows in Adams and Valley Counties in western-central Idaho. In pre-settlement times, the squirrels lived in ponderosa pine forests containing meadow terrain. The Native Americans set fires to these forests, which introduced more open terrain in the forests for the squirrels to roam and allowed young trees to infill the meadows they inhabit. In 1910, a movement for fire suppression stopped the fires. Consistent logging efforts in the habitats of northern Idaho ground squirrels have caused the forests to grow back thicker, leaving no open space for the species.

Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus)

Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus)

Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus)

Uinta ground squirrel on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (via USFWS Mountain-Prairie)

A Uinta ground squirrel on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Uinta Ground Squirrels can live seven years or longer, but few live more than four years. Predation is an important factor, nearly every predator eats them. Predators include badgers, which may account for more than a quarter of the deaths in a population annually, short and long tailed weasels, coyotes, and birds of prey. When they emerge from hibernation in the spring, Uinta ground squirrels feed on new, green vegetation. This green vegetation dries up in the summer, and the ground squirrels switch to a diet of seeds, putting on weight in preparation for an amazing nine month hibernation. They enter hibernation around mid July and are only active above ground for about 3 months out of the year.