Wildlife Wednesday 11/20/24

Happy #WildlifeWednesday! As the freezing autumn and winter weather approaches, an animal that uses hibernation as a survival strategy is the thirteen-lined ground squirrel.

Also known as the striped gopher and leopard ground squirrel, this rodent is related to prairie dogs and is found in grasslands and open areas of Ohio. They may also use man-made habitats such as cemeteries and golf courses as their homes. They typically maintain a range that is 2-3 acres in size.

Brown in coloration, their name comes from the thirteen longitudinal lines (which are sometimes broken up into spots) on the back and sides of the body. They are strictly diurnal, and are particularly active on warm sunny days.

Omnivorous, during the months they are awake they eat grasses, seeds, vegetables, fruits, caterpillars, grasshoppers, crickets, and other various invertebrates.

Building extensive systems of burrows, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel has a particularly long duration of hibernation. It will curl up into a ball in its nest by October or November, slowing its respiration from over one hundred breaths per minute to only one breath every 5 minutes. It will sleep this way until April or May, requiring no food or water. During the bitter cold temperatures of deep winter, a 6-month nap has its appeal!