Wyoming Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus elegans )

Wyoming Ground Squirrel, Near Bitter Creek, Wyoming

Photograph by Alan And Elaine Wilson. Some rights reserved.

MAMMAL FACTS

Description
The Wyoming Ground Squirrel is brown above , with gray on the shoulders, neck and head. There are no stripes or spotting on the back. The sides and underside are yellowish. The ears are larger than average for ground squirrel species. The eyes are surrounded by a white ring. They have large claws.

Size
Total Length 25cm - 38cm. Tail length 6cm - 8cm. Weight 250g - 400g

Environment
mountain meadows, rocky slopes, sagebrush, shrubby grasslands in valley bottoms

Food
mainly grasses, leaves. Also eat shrubs, flowers, seeds, stems, and roots. When green plants are scarce they may eat insects, including grasshoppers, caterpillars, and also birds eggs.

Breeding
One to eleven young (average 6) are born after a gestation period of about 22 days. Young are weaned after 28 to 42 days.

Range
found in west central United States, including Idaho, north-central Nevada, south western Montana, north eastern Utah, southern Wyoming, northern Colorado and western Nebraska.

Classification

Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Sciuridae
Genus:	Spermophilus
Species:	elegans
Common Name:	Wyoming Ground Squirrel