Endangered Species Report: Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus)

Endangered Species Report: Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus)
By: Bill Mitchell

Photo by Paul Sherman at http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May99/squirrel.fire.hrs.web.html

General Description

1. The American Society of Mammalogists says “The Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus) with an original population of about 5,000 in west central Idaho this species is now on the brink of extinction”. Generally inhabiting in open meadows and shrubby grasslands this species had a 92% decrease in numbers since 1985. Also these animals have an 8 month hibernation period from August through March.

Physical Description

1. This species of squirrel is generally small at about 8-9 inches long. It also blends into its environment relatively well with reddish-brown spots on it coat and a grey-brown throat. To keep a low profile it has a long narrow tail and tan feet and ears.

Other

2. Since they reach adulthood at 2 years old their expected lifespan is about 4 to 5 years old.

Breeding Habits

1. The ground squirrels usually do not breed during hotter and cooler parts of the year. Though during early spring they after a 4 to 5 week period a litter of 2 to 10 is born.

Feeding Behavior

3. This squirrel I would expect to be prey rather than to have prey. These squirrels do though eat large amounts of seed stems of plants and other leafy green vegetation.

Conservation Efforts

1. As The American Society of Mammalogists mentions that “The main reason this species has decreased to such low numbers is that of habitat loss”. There are also several other things that have happened to this species like land conservation, urban development, and long droughts. This animal was listed on April 5^th of 2000 on the Threatened list because of its low numbers. It is estimated that only 500 ground squirrels still are alive in the wild. A habitat conservation plan is in place and a population monitoring policy is in place also.

Summary

Though there is little information on this animal it was very interesting to find out that they can give birth to young in about 5 weeks. Another thing that I found interesting is that there are only about 500 ground squirrels left.

Sources:

1. -- Sherman, Paul W. and Eric Yensen. Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel fact sheet. . In Mammalian Species, published by the American Society of Mammalogists. Published by The American Society of Mammalogists. 2001. The American Society of Mammalogists. March 23, 2006. http://www.fws.gov/idahoes/Fact/NIDGS.html

2. -- Yensen, Eric.Cornell. Taxonomy, Distribution, and Population Status of the Idaho Ground Squirrel Cornell Department of Natural Resources. College of Idaho March 24, 2006. http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/

3. -- Sherman, Paul W. and Eric Yensen. USFWS and USFS. 2001. Conservation Agreement: Spermophilus brunneus brunneus. Sherman, Paul W. and Eric Yensen. 1997. Spermophilus brunneus. In Mammalian Species, published by the American Society of Mammalogists.