The rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus ) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae and is native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States, including southern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and the panhandle of Oklahoma.
Di
DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
Cr
CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
Om
OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Al
AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Bu
BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Zo
ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Po
PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
So
SocialCo
ColonialColonial animals live in large aggregations composed of two or more conspecific individuals in close association with or connected to, one another....
No
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
Hi
HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
Ae
AestivationAestivation is a state of animal dormancy, similar to hibernation, although taking place in the summer rather than the winter. Aestivation is chara...
R
starts withRock squirrels are one of the largest members of family Sciuridae. In front and on top, their coat is a speckled grayish brown; on the rear and bottom the gray becomes a more mottled brownish-black tone. They have a marked light-colored ring around their eyes and pointed ears that project well above their heads. Rock squirrels have a long bushy tail with white edges.
Rock squirrels are native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. They occur from Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, south through Texas and California to southernmost Puebla, Mexico. These squirrels inhabit rocky canyons, cliffs, talus slopes, canyon walls, and hillsides. They also live in urban areas.
Rock squirrels are active in the early morning and late afternoons when it is warm. When it is very hot, they may estivate. These squirrels forage during cool mornings by climbing trees and bushes or find their food on the ground. They eat some of the food right away and bring a significant portion back to a safe place, where they can consume the rest. Rock squirrels are social creatures and live in colonies with several females and one dominant male who fights other mature males to protect the group. Rock squirrels live in burrows which they dig with their sharp claws and muscular legs. These burrows provide shelter, safety, living space, and food storage. Burrow systems can be complex and lengthy, as they are enlarged over a period of years. Entrances are usually hidden beneath rocks. In the northern part of their habitat, Rock squirrels hibernate during the colder months of the year. In southern areas, they may not hibernate at all. These squirrels can withstand long periods of time without water, some even up to 100 days. In order to communicate with each other Rock, squirrels use greeting behavior, sniffing, touches and different calls. When alarmed, they whistle a short, sharp, oscillating call.
Rock squirrels are predominantly a herbivore, eating mostly leaves, stems, and seeds. They also eat acorns, pine nuts, and fruits of native plants, including cacti. Occasionally, Rock squirrels consume insects or the eggs of small nesting birds. They may also eat their own kind, scavenging the remains of squirrels that are already dead.
Rock squirrels are polygynous where males mate with more than one female during the breeding season. Females have two litters a year, with 3 to 9 young in each litter. The first litter is typically born between April and June, while the second is born between August and September. The gestation period lasts around 30 days. Newborn babies stay in the burrow and nurse around 2 months and begin foraging for food themselves about 3 days after they leave the burrow. Young remain on their mother's home territory and may use the same burrow around 14 weeks after emergence. After babies leave burrows, mothers protect them at least until hibernation. The mother and her babies use nose touching to recognize each other and to greet. When 1-year-old, young females often remain near their home burrows and young males usually disperse to new areas. Rock squirrels reach reproductive maturity at different ages depending on locations and populations.
Currently, there are no major threats to Rock squirrels.
The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide the Rock squirrel total population size, but this animal is common and widespread throughout its known range. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Rock squirrels play an important role as plant dispersers. They bury nuts and seeds they consume near their burrows and then forget about them. These squirrels are also an important food source for local predators.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...