# Least Chipmunk (*Neotamias minimus*) The Least Chipmunk is a small, striped animal that loves to scurry around in the grass and trees. It has a cute little face and a fluffy tail, making it a fun sight to see in nature! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Least Chipmunk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chipmunk_2006.jpg&width=800) Photo: http://www.naturespicsonline.com/, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chipmunk_2006.jpg) ## Appearance The Least Chipmunk is the smallest North American chipmunk, featuring a reddish-brown body with five distinct dark stripes on its back separated by lighter cream-colored bands. It has pale stripes above and below its eyes, contrasting with its pointed snout. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Tamias ## Interesting facts - A chipmunk's home can have many tunnels, secret rooms, and even a special toilet area! - Despite their name, they are excellent at finding food, even sniffing out buried fungi like truffles. - They can survive harsh winters by going into a deep sleep called torpor, waking up to eat stored food! - They make over 10 different calls, from alarm chirps to soft trills, to chat with other chipmunks. ## Special abilities - **Cheeky Storehouse:** Least Chipmunk has stretchy cheek pouches that help them carry lots of food at once back to their burrow. - **Burrow Blaster:** Least Chipmunk can dig complex underground burrows very quickly to create safe homes and food storage. - **Quick Climb:** Least Chipmunk can swiftly climb trees and shrubs to escape predators and forage for food like berries. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-22 cm - **Weight:** 0.025-0.06 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 18 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-8 - **Gestation:** 28-35 days ## Diet & Feeding These tiny foragers eat a mix of plants and insects to fuel their busy days! - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Nuts, Berries, Fungi, Insects, Bird eggs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — A common raptor that hunts small mammals like chipmunks. - **Hunts:** [Long-tailed Weasel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-tailed-weasel) (*Mustela frenata*) — A swift predator that can pursue chipmunks into their burrows. - **Depends on:** [Lodgepole Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lodgepole-pine) (*Pinus contorta*) — Relies on the seeds from this pine for a significant food source. - **Eats:** [Grouse Whortleberry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grouse-whortleberry) (*Vaccinium scoparium*) — Consumes the small, edible berries found in mountain habitats. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch chipmunks from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Least Chipmunk? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Least Chipmunk? 17-22 cm ### How much does Least Chipmunk weigh? 0.025-0.06 kg ### How long does Least Chipmunk live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Least Chipmunk move? 18 km/h ### What does Least Chipmunk eat? These tiny foragers eat a mix of plants and insects to fuel their busy days! ### Where is Least Chipmunk usually found? Forests ### How does Least Chipmunk hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Independence](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/independence) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood - [D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/d-c-booth-historic-national-fish-hatchery) — South Dakota, US · Aquarium - [Redstone Coke Oven Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/redstone-coke-oven-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [St. Elmo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-elmo) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood - [Lakeview Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lakeview-park) — Michigan, US · Park - [Mount Rushmore National Memorial](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-rushmore-national-memorial) — South Dakota, US · National Park [View all places to see Least Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/least-chipmunk) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Least Chipmunk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/least-chipmunk)