Species: Spermophilus lateralis
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Sciuridae
Genus
Spermophilus
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
spermophile à mante dorée
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Rodents
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Rodentia - Sciuridae - Spermophilus - formerly was included in this species.
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - false - false
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Omnivorous. Feeds on seeds, fungus, leaves, flowers, fruits and roots. Also feeds on arthropods and meat, including carrion. In one study underground fungus comprised 65% of summer food and 90% of fall food. May store food in burrow in summer.
Reproduction Comments
Breeding occurs in the spring soon after females emerge from hibernation. Females are monoestrous. Gestation lasts 26-33 days. Litter size is 2-8, usually 4-6. Young emerge from burrow typically in July (to early August at highest elevations). Weaning occurs at minimum age of 4 weeks. Males do not take part in family life. A few may live up to 7 years.
Ecology Comments
Populations usually are distributed evenly over good habitat. Predators include snakes, foxes, weasels, and bears. This species may be an intermediate host for the Rocky Mountain spotted fever tick, DERMACENTOR ANDERSONI.
Length
31
Weight
276
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-06
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-06
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S5&CA.BC=S5&US.AZ=S5&US.CA=SNR&US.CO=S5&US.ID=S5&US.MT=S4&US.NN=S4&US.NV=S5&US.NM=S4&US.OR=S4&US.UT=S5&US.WA=S5&US.WY=S5" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
Western North America. Eastern British Columbia and western Alberta south through the western U.S. to California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Elevations of 1220-3965 m (Bartels and Thompson 1993).