Species: Spermophilus townsendii
Townsend's Ground Squirrel
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Sciuridae
Genus
Spermophilus
NatureServe
Classification
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Rodents
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Rodentia - Sciuridae - Spermophilus - . Baker et al. (2003) and Thorington and Hoffmann (in Wilson and Reeder 2005) recognized the three taxa as distinct species, noting their distinct cytotypes and lack of hybridization.
Ecology and Life History
Habitat Type Description
Terrestrial
Migration
true - false - false
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Main diet herbaceous vegetation (grasses, forbs, and exotic annuals), and seeds; may also eat some shrub parts and animal matter. Will often feed on crops. May climb bushes while foraging.
Ecology Comments
In Idaho, juvenile dispersal distance over two years was 146-1076 m (mean 515 m over the two years) (Olson and Van Horne 1998).
Length
27
Weight
325
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G3
Global Status Last Reviewed
2008-10-31
Global Status Last Changed
2008-10-31
Other Status
VU - Vulnerable
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?US.WA=S3" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
E - 5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles) - E - Range is restricted to southeastern Washington, south of the Yakima River and west and north of the Columbia River (Hoffman et al., Wilson and Reeder 1993).
Global Range Code
E
Global Range Description
5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)