Columbian Ground Squirrel

Urocitellus columbianus

Columbian Ground Squirrels are playful little animals that live in the grasslands. They love to dig burrows and can often be seen playing with their friends in the sunshine.

Hábitat: Grasslands

Aspecto

The Columbian Ground Squirrel has a stocky body covered in grayish-tan fur, often mottled with darker spots that give it a speckled appearance. It features reddish-brown patches on its face and shoulders, and a relatively short, bushy tail that is darker on top. Its markings help it camouflage within rocky and grassy habitats.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseMammaliaOrdenRodentiaFamiliaSciuridaeGéneroUrocitellus

Columbian Ground Squirrel

Categoría

Mamíferos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

Their underground burrows have special "escape tunnels" to trick predators!

These squirrels can get all the water they need just from eating juicy plants!

They have a special alarm call that tells other squirrels exactly what kind of danger is near!

They stuff their cheeks with food, carrying big meals back to their burrows!

Habilidades especiales

Columbian Ground Squirrels can stand tall on their hind legs because this posture helps them survey their surroundings for predators.

Columbian Ground Squirrels can dig complex burrows because strong claws and front paws help them create safe underground homes.

Columbian Ground Squirrels can enter a deep sleep called hibernation that helps them survive cold winters without food.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 25-35 cm
Peso: 0.3-0.8 kg
Esperanza de vida: 2-5 años
Top Speed: 25 km/h
Tamaño de la camada: 3-6
Gestación: 23-31 días

Dieta y alimentación

These furry friends munch on plants, seeds, and even a few bugs!

Alimentos principales

Grasses
Wildflowers
Seeds
Berries
Fungi
Insects

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawks hunt ground squirrels from above.

eaten by

Coyote

Canis latrans

Coyotes prey on squirrels, especially near burrows.

eaten by

Long-tailed Weasel

Mustela frenata

Weasels are agile enough to follow squirrels into their burrows.

eats

Big Sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

Squirrels forage on seeds and leaves of sagebrush.

eats

Kentucky Bluegrass

Poa pratensis

They graze on fresh shoots and seeds of grasses.

Rasgos

Peludo

Peludo describe a los animales que poseen una cubierta densa de pelo o pelaje suave.

Social

Los animales sociales viven en grupos organizados, cooperando para obtener beneficios de supervivencia como la búsqueda de alimento, la defensa y la cría de descendencia.

Excavador

Los animales excavadores cavan túneles y cámaras en el suelo y utilizan estas estructuras subterráneas para refugiarse, cazar o reproducirse.

Herbívoro

Este rasgo caracteriza a los organismos cuya dieta consiste total o principalmente en material vegetal.

Pastizal

Los hábitats de pastizales son biomas terrestres dominados por pastos y plantas herbáceas, que sustentan a una variedad de animales de pastoreo.

Hibernante

Los animales hibernantes entran en un estado de depresión metabólica durante períodos de frío o escasez de alimentos, caracterizado por una reducción de la temperatura corporal y la actividad.