Golden-mantled ground squirrel
Born in June, golden-mantled ground squirrel pups grow quickly. (Photo by Alan Dibb)
This female golden-mantled ground squirrel, seen here with one of her young offspring, selected a Kootenay National Park campground woodpile as a place to raise her litter. At least 3 other pups were present at this location. The wood pile provides good vantage points to watch and listen for predators, as well as a complex network of passageways to take shelter from the weather or evade predators.
Although the mother-pup bond appears strong at present, the pups will soon disperse to establish their own home ranges before hibernation begins in early fall. Unlike chipmunks, folden-mantled ground squirrels do not cache food supplies for winter, but rely on accumulated body fat to get through until spring.
