A wild thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) near Tofield, Alberta, Canada.
Thirteen-lined ground squirrels are small and slender rodents, with alternate stripes of dark brown and tan, extending from the neck to the tail. The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is strictly diurnal and is especially active on warm days. A solitary or only somewhat colonial hibernator, it often occurs in aggregations in suitable habitats. In late summer, it puts on a heavy layer of fat and stores some food in its burrow. It enters its nest in October (some adults retire much earlier), rolls into a stiff ball, and decreases its respiration from between 100 and 200 breaths per minute to one breath about every five minutes. It emerges in March or early April. The burrow may be 15 to 20 feet ( to metres) long, with several side passages. Most of the burrow is within one to two feet (about half a meter) of the surface, with only the hibernation nest in a special deeper section. Shorter burrows are dug as hiding places. This ground squirrel's home range is two to three acres ( to ha). Its primary diet includes grass and weed seeds, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and crickets, but it may also eat mice and shrews; it will viciously attack and consume cicadas if able to catch them. This squirrel sometimes damages gardens by digging burrows and eating vegetables, but also devours weed seeds and harmful insects. It is well known for standing upright to survey its domain, diving down into its burrow when it senses danger, then sometimes poking out its nose and giving a bird-like trill. It has a maximum running speed of 8 mph (13 km/h) and reverses direction if chased. *** Description sourced from Wikipedia.
Size: 4032px × 2688px
Location: Francis Viewpoint, near Tofield, Alberta, Canada
Photo credit: © Felix Choo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: squinney
