Fascinating facts about the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
During hibernation the squirrel curls into a tight ball and its breathing slows dramatically, dropping from a normal rate of one hundred to two hundred breaths per minute to roughly one breath every five minutes. This profound metabolic slowdown helps it conserve energy throughout the long winter months. After remaining in this state, it emerges from its burrow in March or early April, ready to resume activity on the prairie.
The squirrel's burrow can extend fifteen to twenty feet, or four point six to six point one metres, and includes several side passages that spread out just below the surface. Most of the tunnel network stays within one to two feet of the ground, providing quick escape routes, while the hibernation nest is situated in a deeper, specially excavated chamber. These extensive burrows give the animal a safe refuge and a place to store food for the season.
During torpor the squirrel's body temperature drops to five to seven degrees Celsius for bouts lasting seven to ten days, after which it briefly arouses for less than a day and raises its temperature back to thirty-seven degrees Celsius. While in torpor it preserves hydration by depleting body fluids of osmolytes such as sodium, glucose and blood urea nitrogen.
Thirteen-lined ground squirrels can hibernate for more than six months without any food or water, thanks to specialised physiological adaptations. Throughout this period they switch their metabolism to burn fatty acids rather than glycogen, which remains unchanged in their bodies. Their hibernation pattern consists of repeated torpor bouts lasting seven to ten days, each followed by a brief arousal of less than a day when body temperature returns to normal.
The squirrel's primary diet is made up of grass and weed seeds, caterpillars, grasshoppers and crickets, and it will also take small mammals such as mice and shrews when available. When it manages to catch a cicada, it attacks viciously and consumes the insect whole.
Sources
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As the sun rises over the rolling prairies, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel stirs, its slender body bursting forth from the earthy confines of its burrow, ready to embark on a day of foraging and social intrigue. With a fluid, almost mercurial motion, it darts across the grasslands, its thirteen distinctive stripes blending in perfect harmony with the dappled light and shadow, as it navigates a world of hidden tunnels and sun-kissed vantage points. In this whirlwind of activity, the squirrel's irrepressible energy and adaptability shine, a testament to the enduring resilience of life in the wild.
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