Ardilla Terrestre Uinta

biology_ecology

Habitat. Large open meadows at high elevations near timberline. The Uinta Ground Squirrel can inhabit dry meadows and shrub-steppe communities and can be found in agricultural and rangelands. Food and Feeding. The Uinta Ground Squirrel is a generalist herbivore, with grasses comprising most of its diet, but seasonal variation is reported. Immediately following emergence, 90 % of the diet consists of grass leaves, but this food component later decreases when leaves of forbs and grass seeds are added. Sagebrush (Artemisia, Asteraceae) leaves, earthworms, and roots are also eaten. They will eat insects and scavenge animaltissue; infanticide and cannibalism have been occasionally reported. Breeding. The Uinta Ground Squirrel inhabits burrows with a vegetation-lined nest chamber in which young are born. Males exhibit territorial behavior soon after emergence and scent-mark by rubbing their cheeks on the ground. Female distribution, however, often causes males to shift territories. Breeding occurs within ¢. 30 days of emergence. Aggression between males — fighting, biting, and some vocalizations — is common during breeding season. Females are in estrus for less than one day, usually 2 -

Sciuridae

conservation

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Uinta Ground Squirrel is unknown. Locally considered to be a pest, it is sometimes removed by shooting, poisoning, or trapping. Sagebrush steppe habitat has been declining due to conversion to grazing and agricultural lands, alternative energy development, and human habitation.

Sciuridae

description

Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 223 - 5 mm (males) and 216 - 7 mm (females), tail mean 71 - 8 mm (males) and 69 - 2 mm (females); weight mean 394 - 9 g (males) and 347 - 3 g (females). The Uinta Ground Squirrel is small and has gray-totan dorsum, without visible spots or lines; venter is gray to buff. Tail is modest and brown to black, with pale frosting on edges and gray on its underside. Chromosomal complement is 2 n = 34 and FN = 64. Karyotype consists of ten pairs of metacentric autosomes, six pairs of submetacentric autosomes, submetacentric X-chromosome, and acrocentric Y-chromosome.

Sciuridae

distribution

Distribution. SE Idaho, SW Montana, W Wyoming, and SC Utah (USA).

Sciuridae