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Project Noah Nature School
Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
This ground squirrel is about 11-16 in long, including tail. They are typically a light tan with dark and light stripes and rows of dots alternating down their backs and sides along the length of their bodies.
Grasslands and agricultural areas.
Spotted on Jun 23, 2012
Submitted on Jun 24, 2012
10 Comments
soooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!
adorable
Thanks everyone for your comments. This young ground squirrel is cute, isn't he/she?
They could be pests in newly-planted cornfields on occasion. I remember one year in particular when their population exploded and they literally ate several of our cornfields by digging up the newly sprouted seed and eating the seed kernel off the roots. That, of course, destroyed the entire plant. Not much we could do about it as there were thousands in the fields, but a few weeks later they were mysteriously gone. Perhaps they ate themselves out of their food supply and starved, maybe a rampant disease? We replanted and the corn did fine that time, except yields were down due to the late planting. Generally we got along very well with the wildlife on the farm and while various animals ate some of our crops we were repaid by their presence and the joy in watching them.
OK, that's the cutest thing in the world.
so lovely..
Cool!
Amazing picture. He's so cute
Adorable!
I just love it! His name shall be Jimmy.
So sweet!!!! Great capture, Gordon!!