Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The golden-mantled ground squirrel resembles a chipmunk, but is larger and facial stripes are lacking. It has cream-coloured and black body stripes, but no stripes on the head and tail. The rest of the fur is Tawny grey, with coppery-red shoulders and face. Tail length is from 6 to 12 cm and total length is 25 to 30 cm. It weighs from 175-275 g.

Golden-mantled ground squirrels hibernate from about October to May (the exact dates depending on latitude) but some individuals awaken periodically to feed.

This squirrel’s varied diet consists primarily of seeds, nuts, and fruit; 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 autumn.

The golden-mantled ground squirrel digs shallow burrows up to 30 m long to nest in; openings are usually under or near a log, tree roots, or a boulder. After a gestation period of 26–33 days, the female gives birth in early summer to one litter per year of 4–6 young.

Did you know?
that in autumn, 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.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	RODENTIA
Suborder	SCIUROMORPHA
Family	SCIURIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Spermophilus lateralis
Name (English)	Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Name (French)	Écureuil terrestre doré
Name (German)	Goldmantel-Ziesel
Name (Spanish)	Ardilla de manto dorado, Ardilla de tierra de oro-cubierta
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
K. Lee

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Canada (Alberta; British Columbia) United States (Arizona; California; Colorado; Idaho; Montana; Nevada; New Mexico; Oregon; Utah; Washington; Wyoming)
Habitat	In a wide variety of forest habitats and open rocky areas.
Wild population	Abundant throughout its range (Red List IUCN 2011).
Zoo population	None reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 79 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

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Cash4alex

Why do zoos keep this animal

The golden-mantled ground squirrel is an attractive, colourful and diurnal species, very appealing to children, and may help to create in kids a positive attitude towards animals and nature.

How this animal should be kept

Golden-mantled ground squirrels are kept in outdoor enclosures. For up to 5 animals a minimum surface of 20 m² must be provided, and for each additional adult 2 m² more. Considering that ground squirrel colonies tend to grow, it is not advisable to designe the enclosure smaller than 40 m².

The bounds of the enclosure - half-moats, walls or glass panels - should be at least 1 m high and need deep foundations to avoid that the sousliks will dig their way out of the enclosure. If a boundary fence is used, the upper part should be covered with a ~30cm-wide sheet of metal.

Some protection from predatory birds - raptors or crows - may be necessary, e.g covering the enclosure on top with stretched wires.

The soil of the enclosure should be well drained, sandy covered with grass and decorated with rocks. Suitable dens should be provided for sleeping, rearing of young and hibernating, or the animals should be allowed to dig their own burrows.

The diet consists primarily of green fodder, hay, and vegetables. In addition branches should be offered for wearing the teeth.

Golden-mantled ground squirrels are suitable animals for walk-thru exhibits, and they can be kept in mixed exhibits e.g. together with ungulates such as bighorn sheep, or in aviaries together with mountain birds, such as grouse.