Uinta Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus armatus )

Uinta Ground Squirrel on Mt. Timpanogos

Photograph by P MacCabe. Some rights reserved.

MAMMAL FACTS

distribution map showing range of Spermophilus armatus in North America

Description
The Uinta Ground Squirrel has brownish buff fur, slightly paler on the sides. The belly is pale buff to white. The tail is black with buff on top and bottom and buff on the sides. The nose, ears and face are cinnamon color. The ears are small and rounded with short fur. They live in colonies of about 23 - 28 individuals per square hectare. Uinta Ground Squirrels are strong swimmers.

Size
Body length: 28cm - 30cm. Tail length: 6cm - 8cm

Environment
mountain meadows, pastures, farmland, sometimes found in lawns. Prefers soft soil for digging in well vegetated moist habitats

Food
seeds, green vegetation, invertebrates and some small vertebrates. They prefer succulent plants and aquatic plants.

Breeding
4 to 8 young are born in a burrow after a gestation period of 28 days. The young emerge from the burrow after 24 days

Range
south west Montana, west Wyoming, south east Idaho, north central Utah

Classification

Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Sciuridae
Genus:	Spermophilus
Species:	armatus
Common Name:	Uinta Ground Squirrel