Alashan ground squirrel

This squirrel lives at elevations up to 3200 meters. It lives on the steppe and in foothills and alpine meadows. In China it can be found in desert habitat. It is associated with the plant species Amygdalus pedunculata and A. polyrrhizum.

This species is 22 to 23 centimeters long. It is brown or gray with a pale underside. In the summer it develops a chestnut wash along the shoulders. Most babies are born in June, with litter sizes ranging from 1 to 9.