The Mexican ground squirrel (Ictidomys mexicanus ) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Mexico and the United States. One of its closest relatives is the thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus ).
An omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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starts withThe Mexican ground squirrel is a small to medium-sized rodent with nine rows of white spots on its back. It is about fifteen inches in length and the males are larger than the females. It also has small white circles of fur around its eyes and small ears.
The Mexican ground squirrel is found in northern Mexico, the Texas Gulf Coast, western and central Texas, and southeastern New Mexico. The Mexican ground squirrel lives in flat, brushy, or grassy areas and usually prefers areas with gravelly or sandy soil or areas with that have mesquite.
While much of its original habitat has been destroyed by humans, it has adapted well to human civilization and can now be found on golf courses and other grassy areas such as the sides of highways. Each squirrel normally has more than one burrow and each of them have as many as five escape tunnels. The tunnels are not marked by a mound of dirt on top. Most burrows have a sleeping chamber for the offspring which is lined with grasses.
The Mexican ground squirrel is omnivorous, but eats primarily seeds and grains. Its diet includes seeds, nuts, grains, roots, bulbs, plant stems, leaves, mice, insects, and eggs. It often stores seeds, grains, and nuts in its cheeks pouches and takes them back to its den to eat later. In the summer it eats insects. It has also been documented seen eating roadkill.
