# Yellow-pine Chipmunk (*Neotamias amoenus*) The Yellow-pine Chipmunk is a small, striped animal that loves to scurry around in the forest. They are very playful and often gather food to store for winter! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Yellow-pine Chipmunk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Yellow_pine_chipmonk_2008.JPG&width=800) Photo: Damean Kuhn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yellow_pine_chipmonk_2008.JPG) ## Appearance The Yellow-pine Chipmunk has a reddish-brown back with five dark stripes, separated by lighter buffy stripes, running down its body. It features distinct facial stripes and a whitish belly, making it visually stand out from plain-colored rodents. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Tamias ## Interesting facts - Chipmunks make a sharp 'chip-chip' call to warn others of danger nearby. - Their camouflaged stripes help them blend perfectly into rocky and woody backgrounds. - They can gather hundreds of seeds in just one day to prepare for winter! - When it gets cold, chipmunks enter a deep sleep called torpor to save energy. ## Special abilities - **Food Stasher:** Yellow-pine Chipmunk has stretchy cheek pouches that help them carry huge amounts of seeds back to their burrow. - **Agile Climber:** Yellow-pine Chipmunk can scale trees and rocky surfaces swiftly, using sharp claws and quick balance for escapes. - **Underground Architect:** Yellow-pine Chipmunk can dig complex burrows with multiple entrances for safety, food storage, and raising young. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-14 cm - **Weight:** 0.03-0.07 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-3 years - **Speed:** 15 km/h - **Litter Size:** 4-6 - **Gestation:** 30-32 days ## Diet & Feeding They munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, and even tiny insects found in their forest home. - **Primary Foods:** Pine seeds, Berries, Mushrooms, Acorns, Insects, Flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Northern Goshawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-goshawk) (*Accipiter gentilis*) — Chipmunks are a food source for these forest raptors. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Chipmunks are a small prey item for coyotes in their range. - **Depends on:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Chipmunks eat the seeds and may help disperse them. - **Eaten by:** [Long-tailed Weasel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-tailed-weasel) (*Mustela frenata*) — Weasels hunt chipmunks in their burrows and above ground. ## 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 Watch chipmunks from a distance and don't try to catch them; they are wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-pine 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 Yellow-pine Chipmunk? 10-14 cm ### How much does Yellow-pine Chipmunk weigh? 0.03-0.07 kg ### How long does Yellow-pine Chipmunk live? 2-3 years ### How fast can Yellow-pine Chipmunk move? 15 km/h ### What does Yellow-pine Chipmunk eat? They munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, and even tiny insects found in their forest home. ### Where is Yellow-pine Chipmunk usually found? Forests ### How does Yellow-pine Chipmunk hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Cut Bank Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cut-bank-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [E.C. Manning Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/e-c-manning-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Sunrise Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sunrise-historic-district) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Yakima Park Stockade Group](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/yakima-park-stockade-group) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Lake Union Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-union-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Lake Chelan National Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-chelan-national-recreation-area) — Washington, US · National Park [View all places to see Yellow-pine Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-pine-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: [Yellow-pine Chipmunk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-pine-chipmunk)