Mammals
Columbian Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus columbianus · also called Columbia ground squirrel
As the snow melts on a northern Rockies meadow, Columbian ground squirrels pop up from their burrows to feed, their short summer all the time they have to fatten up before the next long sleep.
Overview
The Columbian ground squirrel, Urocitellus columbianus, is a Least Concern rodent of the meadows and grassland of the northern Rocky Mountains region. Its colony life, long hibernation, and role as prey make it an important link in the food web of the northern mountains.
A short season above ground
With roughly eight months spent hibernating, the Columbian ground squirrel has only a brief season to feed, breed, and build the fat it needs to survive winter.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common across suitable habitat.
Columbian Ground Squirrel: common questions
How long does the Columbian ground squirrel hibernate?
It spends most of the year, about eight months, hibernating in a burrow and is active above ground for only a short season.
Which animals eat Columbian ground squirrels?
Badgers, coyotes, eagles, and bears all eat them.
Do Columbian ground squirrels live in groups?
Yes, they live in colonies on meadows and grassland, with sentinels that call when danger approaches.
Where is the Columbian ground squirrel found?
It lives in meadows and grassland in the northern Rocky Mountains region of Canada and the United States.