Washington Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus washingtoni (A.H.Howell, 1938)
Also calledCitello di Washington (ita) · Esquilo-terrestre-de-washington (por) · Spermophile de Washington (fra) · Suslic de Washington (cat) · Washingtongrondeekhoorn (nld) · oregoninsiiseli (fin) · susłogon waszyngtoński (pol) · sysel washingtonský (ces) · Écureuil terrestre de Washington (fra) · Суслик Вашингтона (rus) · سنجاب زمینی واشینگتن (fas) · ワシントンジリス (jpn)
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
activity
Activity patterns. The Washington Ground Squirrel is diurnal and terrestrial. After accumulating fat stores, adults enter estivation that grades into hibernation from late May to early June; juveniles enter estivation 1 - 2 months later. Adults emerge in January to mid-March. Young emerge from natal burrow in late March or April and reach adult size by late May to early June.
Sciuridae
biology_ecology
Habitat. Shrub steppe areas of the Columbia River Basin. The Washington Ground Squirrel is more abundant in areas of extensive grass cover on deep soils with high clay content.
Sciuridae
biology_ecology
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Washington Ground Squirrel is highly social, with females apparently forming coalitions within colonies. Annual mortality rates are high, exceeding 60 %, and maximum life span is less than five years. Juvenile males typically disperse ¢. 880 m, with a maximum dispersal distance registered of 3 - 5 km.
Sciuridae
breeding
Breeding. Females become ready to breed a few days after emergence and give birth in February to March to a litter of 5 - 11 young, after a gestation of ¢. 23 - 30 days, inside the burrow.
Sciuridae
In the stacks
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Every page naming Urocitellus washingtoni in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 8055765.
