Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
Encyclopedia
The round-tailed ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus tereticaudus), known as "Ardillón cola redonda" in Spanish, live in the desert of the Southwestern United States
and adjacent Mexico
. They are called "ground squirrels" because they burrow in loose soil, often under mesquite
trees and creosote bushes.
is 28 days. An average of 5.4 pups are born in each litter. They reach sexual maturity at 325 days. There is little information on the longevity
of these animals but one wild born specimen lived to approximately 8.9 years in captivity. They are prey animals for coyotes, badgers, and snakes.
life. They can stay active even on the hottest of days though they do tend to limit their activity during the heat of the afternoon sun. They live underground in the winter, typically from late August or September until January or February. They go into torpor
but they do not hibernate
.
s. The bulk of their diet is green vegetation, especially in the summer. They also eat seeds and insects (ants, termites, and grasshoppers). Most of their foods are chosen for high water content because of the shortage of available water in their environment. The average water content of the food they eat is 80%.
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and adjacent Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They are called "ground squirrels" because they burrow in loose soil, often under mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
trees and creosote bushes.
Characteristics
Most round-tailed ground squirrels are very small. Weight at birth is approximately 3.9 grams. Adults weigh around 125 grams (roughly four ounces). All have a long round tail and long, hairy hind feet. They have no fur markings, instead having a uniform sandy color, which matches the soil they burrow in. The underside of their body is usually a lighter shade. Round tailed squirrels average 204 to 278 mm (8 to 10.9 in) in length including the tail which is from 60 to 112 mm (2.4 to 4.4 in) long.Lifecycle
The gestation periodGestation period
For mammals the gestation period is the time in which a fetus develops, beginning with fertilization and ending at birth. The duration of this period varies between species.-Duration:...
is 28 days. An average of 5.4 pups are born in each litter. They reach sexual maturity at 325 days. There is little information on the longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
of these animals but one wild born specimen lived to approximately 8.9 years in captivity. They are prey animals for coyotes, badgers, and snakes.
Behavior
Ground squirrels are well-adapted to desertDesert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
life. They can stay active even on the hottest of days though they do tend to limit their activity during the heat of the afternoon sun. They live underground in the winter, typically from late August or September until January or February. They go into torpor
Torpor
Torpor, sometimes called temporary hibernation is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually characterized by a reduced body temperature and rate of metabolism. Animals that go through torpor include birds and some mammals such as mice and bats...
but they do not hibernate
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
.
Social Structure
They have a semicolonial social structure, and will alert others of impending danger with a high-pitched alarm call. But they will chase away other ground squirrels who get too close to their own burrow. The males are dominant during breeding season (January through March). The females dominate during raising of the young (March and April).Diet
They are omnivoreOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
s. The bulk of their diet is green vegetation, especially in the summer. They also eat seeds and insects (ants, termites, and grasshoppers). Most of their foods are chosen for high water content because of the shortage of available water in their environment. The average water content of the food they eat is 80%.
External links
- University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web. Spermophilus tereticaudus(round-tailed ground squirrel)
- Pictures from CalPhotos, University of California, Berkeley