The Rock Squirrel is a large, mottled ground squirrel of rocky desert canyons and cliff faces in the American Southwest. It is the largest ground squirrel in the United States and is closely associated with rocky substrates, climbing boulders and cliff faces with surprising agility. Rock squirrels can carry rabies and have bitten visitors at national parks who attempt to feed them—it is among the wildlife most involved in human bite incidents in the Southwest.
Best time to see a Rock Squirrel
The best time to see a Rock Squirrel is March–July, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 18,143 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Rock Squirrel? What animal is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Rock Squirrel sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
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