The Arctic Ground Squirrel undergoes the most extreme mammalian hibernation known, with body temperatures dropping to -3°C—below the freezing point of water—for weeks at a time without damage, kept viable by suppressed cell metabolism. It hibernates for seven to eight months and is among the primary prey of Arctic foxes, eagles, and grizzly bears when it emerges in spring. Its alarm bark is one of the most characteristic sounds of the Alaskan tundra.
Habitat
Arctic and subarctic tundra with dry, well-drained soils
Diet
Grasses, forbs, seeds, berries, mushrooms, and insects
How common
Common
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