Northern Idaho ground squirrel

Northern Idaho ground squirrel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Urocitellus
Species:
U. brunneus
Binomial name
Urocitellus brunneus
(A. H. Howell, 1928)
distribution of NIDGS

The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is a species of the largest genus of ground squirrels. This species and the Southern Idaho ground squirrel were previously considered conspecific, together called the Idaho ground squirrel.

The species is about 233mm in length and weighs 120 to 290 grams.[2] The northern Idaho ground squirrel has sexual dimorphism and a dark-reddish gray coat.[2]

The squirrel hibernates for 8 months and lives in dry meadows in Adams and Valley Counties in western-central Idaho.[3][4][5] They eat forbs, grasses, shrubs, trees, rushes, and sedges.[3] The mating season occurs within two weeks from the start of the active period and lasts about 12–13 days.[6][7] Females only have one litter per year, and there are about five weaned babies per litter, which leave the burrow around late March-early April.[8] The species constructs three types of burrows: nest burrows, auxiliary burrows, and hibernation burrows.[8]

In 2000, the species was classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act mostly due to habitat loss.[9] There are about 2000 individuals remaining, but the population is increasing resulting from conservation efforts.[10] A recovery plan for the species was put in place by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003 and forest restoration for the species is anticipated to be done by 2027.[3]

  1. ^ Yensen, E. (2019). "Urocitellus brunneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T20497A111881863. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T20497A111881863.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ecos.fws.gov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference US Fish & Wildlife Service-2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region-2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Yensen-1991 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gavin-1999 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sherman-1989 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Yensen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Garner-2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference FWS.gov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).