Chipmunks live in deep burrows under the ground.They make a very complex tunnel-like structure for its protection and storage of food.The Squirrels live in tree holes.Though both belong to the same Sciuridae family, they have a lot of differences among each other.The main difference between a chipmunk and the squirrel is the stripes, the chipmunks have stripes on the back of it till the head while the squirrels do not have stripes, the ground squirrel, of course, has stripes but not till the head.Bookmark.Main Differences Between Chipmunk and Squirrel Animal Adaptations, Animal Anatomy, Animal Architecture, Animal Diet, Animal Talk, Bird Eggs, Chipmunk vs golden-mantled ground squirrel, Fauna, Golden-mantled ground squirrel, Ground squirrels, Mammals, Nature, Outdoor Column, Seeds, Squirrels, Young. When cooler temperatures prevail, golden-mantled ground squirrels perch on high stumps or rocks within their territory to bask in the sun’s heat and to keep a lookout for predators or intruding neighbors. They avoid the midday heat by being underground in their burrows. Golden-mantled ground squirrels tend to be more active in early morning and late afternoon during the summer. As the young grow, they play outside the burrow together until they are old enough to find their own territory. Other golden-mantled ground squirrels in the area may hear the alarm call and respond appropriately however, they are solitary creatures.Ī mother with young (average five per litter) is the only time golden-mantled ground squirrels spend an extended period of time together. When other animals emit an alarm call, like a marmot, golden-mantled ground squirrels respond by looking around or scurrying to their burrow. Their high-pitched call or trill warns of predators, such as raptors, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, skunks and weasels. Golden-mantled ground squirrels tend to be quiet except to sound an alarm call when in danger. Golden-mantled ground squirrels forage at a distance from their burrows and rely on their quickness and agility to run back to their burrows to escape danger. The ground squirrel also maintains small burrows (called refuge burrows or bolt holes) throughout its one- to two-acre home range for use in emergencies. The entrances are typically well-hidden under a shrub, rock or log in open woodlands, brushy forest edges, mountain meadows or rocky slopes bordering alpine or subalpine meadows. Unlike some other burrowing animals, golden-mantled ground squirrels leave no sign at their entrances-no scat or mounds of dirt. Their burrows can be up to 100 feet long and contain several branches and entrances. Grass is also used to line their nesting chamber. They stuff seeds and fruits in their cheek pouches to carry back to their burrow or carry grass in their mouths. Golden-mantled ground squirrels prepare for the food scarcity in spring by stockpiling some food in their burrows. Their bodies slow down to the point of only needing one breath a minute and five heart beats a minute To survive the long winters, golden-mantled ground squirrels put on a layer of fat to fuel their bodies while they hibernate. Golden-mantled ground squirrels that eat fewer seeds tend to enter hibernation later and exhibit a higher mortality during hibernation. Researchers have found that when golden-mantled ground squirrels consume foods high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as seeds, they enter hibernation sooner, maintain a lower body temperature during hibernation and sleep in longer stretches (they wake up periodically during hibernation). Consuming a diet high in seeds in the fall enables the golden-mantled ground squirrel to hibernate more successfully.
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