The white-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus ) is a diurnal species of ground squirrel, scientifically classified in the order Rodentia and family Sciuridae, found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of northwestern Mexico.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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OmnivoreAn 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...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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BurrowingA 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 ...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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SolitaryDo
Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Cute AnimalsThe White-tailed antelope squirrel is a species of ground squirrel. They have a brown to gray fur with two white stripes running from the shoulder to the hind end. Their bellies and the underside of their tails are white in color and there is a black stripe on the tail.
White-tailed antelope squirrels are found in the southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of northwestern Mexico. Their range extends north to south from southwestern Oregon to New Mexico, and east to west from western Colorado to Baja California, Mexico. These animals inhabit desert habitats from valley floors to the juniper belt. They live in shrubby areas with sandy or rocky soil.
White-tailed antelope squirrels are diurnal creatures. They are active most during the cooler parts of the daylight hours, avoiding midday as much as possible. These small rodents forage on the ground, in trees or shrubs. During foraging they stop for a break in the shade to avoid heat from the sun. They also often lay flat in the burrow with their stomach against the cooler ground to cool off. These squirrels are solitary and live alone in burrows, which they creat themselves or use from other rodents. Females live with their young. In the winter, however, several squirrels may live together in one burrow warming together at night.
White-tailed antelope squirrels are omnivorous. They feed primarily on foliage, seeds, arthropods, and vertebrates (mainly lizards and rodents).
Little is known about the mating habits of White-tailed antelope squirrels. The breeding season for these animals takes place in February-June. Females give birth to one litter per year with 5-14 babies. The gestation period lasts around 30-35 days. The mother will create a nest for babies in the center of the burrow. These nests are made from dry plant materials and animal fur. Young are born blind and weigh around 3-4 g. They become ready to emerge from the burrow 1-2 weeks before weaning, at approximately 2 months of age. It will take the squirrels only one year to become reproductively mature and begin reproducing.
There are no major threats known to White-tailed antelope squirrels at present. However, on the two islands in the Gulf of California, they may suffer from human activities and predation from feral cats.
The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide the White-tailed antelope squirrel total population size, but this animal is common and widespread throughout its known range. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
White-tailed antelope squirrels store seeds in their food caches and thus act as seeds dispersers in their habitat range.
