The Columbian Ground Squirrel is a social colonial squirrel abundant in mountain meadows of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies. It spends the majority of its life in hibernation—sometimes more than seven months—and is active for only a brief summer window. Young squirrels must build enough fat reserves in just a few weeks to survive their first winter.
Best time to see a Columbian Ground Squirrel
The best time to see a Columbian Ground Squirrel is May–July, when about 67% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 2,962 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Columbian Ground Squirrel sightings near you
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