Hopi Chipmunk (Neotamias rufus) lives in southwestern rocky terrain across Southwestern North America. It feeds on seeds and nuts. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Hopi Chipmunk
- Hopi chipmunks are naturally timid, and even individuals born in captivity never become tame. Their timidity is matched by remarkable agility; they are fast and sure-footed on sheer canyon and butte rock faces and build nests in rock piles or crevices for protection.
- When they climb shrubs for seeds, Hopi chipmunks never eat there; instead they haul the food back to a den or perch on a boulder where they can eat while keeping watch for hawks.
- Their numbers peak where broken rock piles line the bases of cliffs, because deep fissures and crevices in such rubble provide ideal den sites that support the highest population densities. These rocky habitats also host the common chipmunk of much of the canyon and slickrock piñon-juniper country in western Colorado, making the species especially abundant there. Nesting in rock piles or crevices further enhances their success in these environments.
- The Hopi chipmunk's back lacks the black striping typical of its relatives, giving it a uniform orange-red to buff coat. This colouration is part of a suite of traits that also includes a somewhat smaller overall size than nearby chipmunks. Adults measure 190-235 mm in total length with tails of 83-95 mm, hindfeet 31-35 mm, ears 15-22 mm and weigh 52-62 g. Females are slightly larger than males, reinforcing the species' distinctive appearance.
- Hopi chipmunks sprint across sheer canyon walls with remarkable agility, a skill that lets them move as easily on vertical rock as on the ground. Their fast, sure-footed nature on cliffs and buttes is matched by a habit of living in pinyon-juniper forests where they nest in rock crevices or piles of broken stone. When they climb shrubs for seeds, they never eat there; instead they haul the food to a den or perch on a boulder, watching for hawks while they feed.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSouthwestern North America
HabitatSouthwestern rocky terrain
DietSeeds and nuts
About the Hopi Chipmunk
In the sun-baked rock crevices of the American Southwest, the Hopi chipmunk weaves a lively tapestry of movement, its tiny paws barely touching the ground as it darts between boulders with an air of effortless agility. With a flick of its striped tail, it vanishes into the labyrinthine recesses of its rocky domain, only to reemerge with a cheek pouch full of seeds, its bright, inquisitive eyes shining like dark jewels in the desert light. As it scurries through its arid kingdom, the Hopi chipmunk embodies the very spirit of resilience and adaptability that defines life in this harsh, beautiful landscape.
Hear the Hopi Chipmunk, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
