This species of ground squirrel has grayish-brown fur, with a lighter underbelly.

There is a whitish ring round the eye. It hibernates during the winter months in a state called torpor. Ground squirrels are troublesome rodent pests for many home gardeners. The Arctic ground squirrel inhabits much of Alaska, favoring the alpine tundra landscape. Arctic Ground Squirrels Spermophilus parryii: The Inupiaq people call this animal a tsik-tsik for the sound it makes when alarmed (which is most of the time.) It seems that all animals are out to get the squirrel, including birds, fox, wolves, bears and so on. This also enables it to stand out less from the snow. The arctic ground squirrel has had a long evolutionary history in the Nearctic, with strong phylogeographic structure and stable clades persisting through multiple glacial cycles. Description The Arctic Ground Squirrel has beige and tan fur mottled with white spots on its dorsal side. An arctic ground squirrel eats a berry on Alaska’s North Slope. The California ground squirrels, Otospermophilus beecheyi and Otospermophilus douglasii, are the most common species in and around homes and gardens.The two are usually not referred to as separate species, so in this publication they are referred to as “California ground squirrel” or simply “ground squirrel.” (Photo by Cory Williams) By Halloween, the experienced female squirrels have been dormant for two months.

arctic ground squirrel, Beringia, cytochrome b, phylogeography, Spermophilus parryii. Arctic Ground Squirrel. ARCTIC GROUND SQUIRREL FACTS.

It has blunt face, small ears, and a dark brushy tail. We usually see Arctic Ground Squirrels at a distance, as they chirp-chirp with annoyance, then duck into a burrow. It grows to 2.8 to 5 inches (7 to 13 centimeters) in length and weighs just 0.35 ounces (10 grams). They live in colonies of 5 to 50 individuals. The first photo is an example of this, seen along the Gold Cord trail in Hatcher Pass, Independence Mine Park. The smallest squirrel is the African pygmy squirrel. For this reason, you often see the ground squirrel in an upright and alert position.

They hibernate underground to survive the harsh winter. The golden mantled ground squirrel also turns a duller, grayer color in the winter. This coloring enables it to blend more into the surrounding forest or sagebrush, making it less visible to potential predators. Of all the ice age animals still alive today, the Arctic ground squirrel has arguably taught us the most about the ice age world. Ground squirrels first appeared in North America about 10 million years ago, but quickly expanded north and west into Eurasia.