Family: Sciuridae, Squirrels view all from this family
Description Back gray, brownish, or buff. Head and shoulders coppery red, forming golden mantle. Belly whitish. 1 white stripe bordered by black stripes on each side; no stripes on face. L 9–12 1/8" (230–308 mm); T 2 1/2–4 5/8" (63–118 mm); HF 1 3/8"–1 3/4"(35–46 mm); Wt 6–9 3/4 oz (170–276 g).
Similar Species Chipmunks are smaller and have facial stripes.
Breeding 1 litter per year of 4–6 young born in early summer, after gestation of 26–33 days.
Habitat Moist coniferous or mixed forest; in mountains to above timberline; sometimes in sagebrush country or rocky meadows.
Range Southeastern British Columbia and sw Alberta south through much of w U.S., east to se Wyoming, w Colorado, and n and w New Mexico.
Discussion In the fall, the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel puts on a layer of fat, which helps maintain it through winter hibernation; it also carries food in its well-developed cheek pouches to its den to be stored and presumably eaten in spring when it awakens. During hibernation, which usually lasts from about October to May (the exact dates depending on latitude), a few individuals awaken periodically to feed, as chipmunks do. The mainstays of this squirrel’s varied diet are seeds, nuts (especially those of the piñon), and fruits; these are supplemented by green vegetation and insects, as well as by large quantities of subterranean fungi, which it locates by smell and digs out. Coniferous seeds constitute a third of the diet in fall. The Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel digs shallow burrows up to 100 feet (30 m) long to nest in; openings are usually under or near a log, tree roots, or a boulder. It cleans its brilliantly colored coat by rolling in dust, then combing itself with its teeth and claws. The animal has a variety of calls—it can chirp and squeal with fright and growls when fighting—but seldom uses them. It often occurs with the Uinta Chipmunk.
