Ground squirrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ground squirrelTemporal range: Early Oligocene to recent
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Ground squirrel in Turkey | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Sciuridae |
| Subfamily: | Xerinae |
| Tribe: | Marmotini Pocock, 1923 |
| Genera | |
|
Palaeosciurus (fossil) |
|
Ground squirrels are rodents of the squirrel family Sciuridae. They generally live on the ground or in burrows. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones are more commonly known as marmots (genus Marmota) or prairie dogs, while the smaller and less bushy-tailed ground squirrels tend to be known as chipmunks.
Size
Ground squirrels can measure anywhere from about 7.2 inches (18 cm) in height up to nearly 30 inches (76 cm). They can weigh between 0.09 pounds (0.041 kg) and 24 pounds (11 kg).
Habitat
Open areas including rocky outcrops, fields, pastures, and sparsely wooded hillsides comprise their habitat. Ground squirrels also live in grassy areas such as pastures, golf courses, cemeteries, and parks.
Defense mechanisms
Ground squirrels have developed several defense mechanisms to protect themselves from predators. When threatened, they emit high-pitched warning calls to alert others in their colony. The squirrels spend about one-third of their time standing to watch and when a predator is in sight, they stop and watch 60% of the time.
Ground squirrels are also known for their burrowing behavior. They have intricate tunnel systems with multiple entrances, which provide escape routes from predators. When a threat approaches, they quickly retreat underground, where they are safe from most predators. Their burrows are designed with multiple chambers and ranges between 5 and 30 feet (1.5 and 9.1 m), making it challenging for predators to reach them. This combination of vocal warnings and burrow construction makes ground squirrels highly adapted to evade danger and survive in the wild.
Diet
Ground squirrels are omnivorous, and not only eat a diet rich in fungi, nuts, fruits, and seeds, but also occasionally eat insects, eggs, and other small animals.
Subtribes and genera
Basal and incertae sedis genera
- †Palaeosciurus (fossil)
- Callospermophilus
- Notocitellus
- Otospermophilus (American rock squirrels)
- Poliocitellus (Franklin's ground squirrel)
- Sciurotamias (Chinese rock squirrels)
- Urocitellus
- Xerospermophilus
Subtribe Tamiina: chipmunks (might be full tribe)
- Eutamias
- Neotamias
- †Nototamias (fossil)
- Tamias
Subtribe Marmotina: marmots and prairie dogs
- †Arctomyoides (fossil)
- †Miospermophilus (fossil)
- †Paenemarmota (fossil)
- †Palaearctomys (fossil)
- †Protospermophilus (fossil)
- Marmota
- Cynomys (prairie dogs)
Subtribe Spermophilina: true ground squirrels
- †Spermophilinus (fossil)
- Ammospermophilus
- Ictidomys: Thirteen-lined ground squirrel and related species
- Spermophilus
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Ardillas terrestres para niños
- Tree squirrel
- Xerini—the related "ground squirrels" of Asia and Africa
