Who’s in charge here?

We saw dozens of these little mottled characters on a walk along a  canal. The low, rocky earth banks are perfect for their excavated burrows. Some burrows house single squirrel occupants, while others may be colonial homes for several squirrels.


Tunnels can total over 700 feet in length and have 20-30 openings. The deepest tunnels can be 25 feet below ground.  They eat insects, nuts, fungi, roots, bulbs and carrion. Ground squirrels are most active in the daytime. While there are hundreds of them in many spots, they tend not to socialize with each other. They spend their time feeding, sunning, dust-bathing, and grooming. They also like to sit straight up, motionless like this guy,