Harris' Antelope Squirrel

Ammospermophilus harrisii

Harris' Antelope Squirrel is a small, lively squirrel found in the deserts of the southwestern United States. They have a fluffy tail and love to dig and play in the sand.

Lebensraum: Desert

Aussehen

The Harris' Antelope Squirrel has a grayish-brown back with a single white stripe running along each side of its body, and a pure white belly. Its relatively short tail is often held curled over its back, distinguishing it from other striped ground squirrels.

ReichAnimaliaStammChordataKlasseMammaliaOrdnungRodentiaFamilieSciuridaeGattungAmmospermophilus

Harris' Antelope Squirrel

Kategorie

Säugetiere

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Despite their name, 'antelope' squirrels don't eat antelopes; it refers to their antelope-like running!

Harris' Antelope Squirrels use special cheek pouches to carry armfuls of seeds back to their homes!

These desert dwellers often hold their fluffy tails over their backs like tiny parasols for shade!

They can dig amazing burrows with multiple exits, perfect for escaping hungry predators quickly!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Harris' Antelope Squirrel can quickly cool down its body by pressing its belly to a cool rock, helping it survive desert heat.

Harris' Antelope Squirrel can get almost all the water it needs from its food, letting it thrive in dry desert environments.

Harris' Antelope Squirrel can twitch its tail rapidly as a signal to predators, letting them know it has been spotted.

Maße und Details

Länge: 14-17 cm
Gewicht: 0.1-0.15 kg
Lebenserwartung: 2-5 Jahre
Top Speed: 25 km/h
Wurfgröße: 6-12
Tragzeit: 30-31 Tage

Ernährung und Fütterung

An omnivore, it eats seeds, fruits, insects, and green plants found in its desert home.

Hauptnahrung

Seeds
Cactus Fruit
Grasses
Insects
Leaves

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

A common aerial predator of this ground squirrel.

eaten by

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

Hunts squirrels on the ground, ambushing from cover.

eaten by

Coyote

Canis latrans

A terrestrial predator that preys on squirrels.

eats

Honey Mesquite

Prosopis glandulosa

Consumes the seeds and pods of this desert tree.

eats

Engelmann's Prickly Pear

Opuntia engelmannii

Feeds on the fruits and seeds of this common cactus.

Merkmale

Pelzig

Pelzig beschreibt Tiere, die eine dichte Schicht aus weichen Haaren oder Fell besitzen.

Sozial

Soziale Tiere leben in organisierten Gruppen und kooperieren, um ihr Überleben zu sichern, beispielsweise bei der Nahrungssuche, Verteidigung und Aufzucht der Jungen.

Allesfresser

Dieses Merkmal kennzeichnet Organismen, deren Ernährung sowohl pflanzliche als auch tierische Bestandteile umfasst.

Graben

Grabende Tiere heben Tunnel und Kammern im Erdboden aus und nutzen diese unterirdischen Strukturen als Unterschlupf, zur Jagd oder zur Fortpflanzung.

Wüste

Wüstenlebensräume sind trockene Regionen, die durch extrem geringen Niederschlag und oft extreme Temperaturen gekennzeichnet sind und eine spezialisierte Flora und Fauna beherbergen.