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The diurnal Arctic ground squirrel lives on the tundra and is prey to the Arctic fox, the red fox, the wolverine, Canada lynx, Eurasian lynx, the brown bear, and eagles. It is one of the few Arctic animals, along with their close relatives the marmots [ 11 ] and the un-related little brown bat , that hibernate . [ 12 ]
Whether arctic ground squirrels or hibernating bats, the animal world still has a lot to teach us when it comes to the subtle art of entering a deep and long sleep. You Might Also Like.
Hibernating Arctic ground squirrels may exhibit abdominal temperatures as low as −2.9 °C (26.8 °F), maintaining sub-zero abdominal temperatures for more than three weeks at a time, although the temperatures at the head and neck remain at 0 °C (32 °F) or above. [14]
Urocitellus is a genus of ground squirrels.They were previously believed to belong to the much larger genus Spermophilus, but DNA sequencing of the cytochrome b gene showed that this group was paraphyletic to the prairie dogs and marmots, [1] and could therefore no longer be retained as a single genus.
The Columbian ground squirrel is one of the largest members of the genus, the largest being the Arctic ground squirrel. [2] They have a relatively sturdy, robust build. They measure 325–410 mm (12.8–16.1 in) in length overall, with a tail measuring 80–116 mm (3.1–4.6
Ground squirrels are rodents of the squirrel family that generally live on the ground or in burrows, rather than in trees like the tree squirrels.The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones are more commonly known as marmots (genus Marmota) or prairie dogs, while the smaller and less bushy-tailed ground squirrels tend to be known as chipmunks (genus ...
Thirteen-lined ground squirrels can survive in hibernation for over six months without food or water and special physiological adaptations allow them to do so. [6] During torpor , these squirrels maintain hydration by redistributing and storing osmolytes like sodium, glucose, and blood urea nitrogen in different body compartments (to be ...
Spermophilus is a genus of ground squirrels in the squirrel family. [1] As traditionally defined the genus was very species-rich, ranging through Europe, Asia and North America, but this arrangement was found to be paraphyletic to the certainly distinct prairie dogs, marmots, and antelope squirrels.