Arctic Ground Squirrel

The largest of the North American ground squirrels, arctic ground squirrels are burrowing rodents that resemble prairie dogs, with small ears, a flat tail, and a white-spotted back. They are very common throughout much of Denali and live mainly in the alpine tundra.

Arctic ground squirrels live in colonies underground and hibernate throughout the winter. Perhaps the coolest thing about them is that they are the only vertebrate we know of that can survive body temperatures below freezing during hibernation. Arctic ground squirrels are also important ecologically; they are an important food source for many other predators, such as grizzly bears, foxes, gyrfalcons, and golden eagles.

Adapting to the Arctic

Like many other arctic animals, arctic ground squirrels have unique physiological adaptations that allow them to survive during winter. Arctic ground squirrels are obligate hibernators and spend 7 to 8 months in hibernation. Researchers at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks have shown that during hibernation, arctic ground squirrels adopt the lowest body temperature ever measured in a mammal. The body temperature of hibernating squirrels drops below freezing, a condition referred to as supercooling. At intervals of two to three weeks, still in a state of sleep, hibernating squirrels shiver and shake for 12 to 15 hours to create heat that warms them back to a normal body temperature of about 98 degrees Fahrenheit. When the shivering and shaking stops, body temperature drops back to the minimal temperature. This type of hibernation is rare among mammals and scientists are still studying this unique physiological behavior.

In Denali, ground squirrels are active from late April to early October, but the sexes and age-classes show some differences in their annual activity patterns. Adult males are usually the first to emerge from hibernation. They dig their way through the snow and stay relatively close to their burrows until the snow cover melts. Breeding occurs in May and a single litter of 5 to 10 pups is born in June. The young develop rapidly and usually emerge from their burrows in mid-July. By late summer, young abandon their natal burrow and occupy a neighboring, empty burrow or excavate a new one.

Adults start hibernating as soon as they have enough body fat to survive the winter, often in late August when plenty of foods are still available. It is probably safer to enter hibernation early, even when foods are accessible, than to remain on the surface vulnerable to predators. Youngsters, however, take much longer to find foods and put on body fat and they are often active until late September. This means that youngsters are more vulnerable to predation than adults.

Diet and Social Behavior

The diet of arctic ground squirrels is diverse and opportunistic. They eat many types of vegetation including the leaves, seeds, fruits, stems, flowers, and roots of many species of grasses, forbs, and woody plants. They also eat mushrooms and meat from freshly killed animals (including ground squirrels). Because they are active only during the short subarctic summer, arctic ground squirrels must be efficient foragers. As summer progresses, they put on a tremendous amount of fat stores for the winter and often double their body weight by the time they enter hibernation in fall.

The social behavior of arctic ground squirrels is complex. This species is highly territorial and squirrels may kill other squirrels over territorial disputes. However, other related females in the colony often care for orphaned youngsters. Further, territorial behavior lessens during late summer, and male squirrels may move between colonies or establish colonies of their own.

Arctic ground squirrels are listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN. However, arctic ground squirrels face threats from habitat loss and climate changes, such as temperature increases and shifts in the timing of snow melt and the growing season, which could put populations at risk.

Current IUCN Listing: Least Concern

Arctic Ground Squirrel Alarm Calls

Alarm call of an Arctic ground squirrel

Credit / Author:
Government of Yukon

A series of short, quiet alarm chirps by a ground squirrel

Where this belongs

• Denali National Park & Preserve
• Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve
• Katmai National Park & Preserve
• Kenai Fjords National Park
• Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
• Noatak National Preserve

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