August 2, 2009; Hellroaring Trail;Yellowstone National Park.
From Wikipedia:The
Uinta ground squirrel (
Urocitellus armatus), commonly called a
Potgut in northern
Utah, is a native of the northern
Rocky Mountains and surrounding foothills of the
United States including
Idaho,
Montana, Utah, and
Wyoming. Their habitat includes dry meadows, grasslands, and cultivated fields close to water.
The squirrels eat foods including seeds, green vegetation, insects, and meat. They are fully active for roughly 3? months in the spring and summer before beginning
estivation and
hibernation in burrows underground. During their active periods the squirrels are
diurnal and often live in colonies.
The squirrels mate in the early spring and females give birth after about a month of
gestation. Young leave the burrow at twenty-four days. Litters usually include four to six young with older females generally producing larger litters. Adults weigh between 285g?425g.