biology

Richardson's ground squirrel

Richardson's ground squirrel is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Richardson's ground squirrel rather than just read about it. In short: Richardson's ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii), also known as the dakrat or flickertail, is a North American ground squirrel in the genus Urocitellus. Like a number of other ground squirrels, they are sometimes called prairie dogs or gophers, though the latter name belongs more strictly to the pocket gophers of family Geomyidae, and the former to members of the genus Cynomys.

Key takeaways

Richardson's ground squirrel belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Richardson's ground squirrel to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Richardson's ground squirrel from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Richardson's ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii), also known as the dakrat or flickertail, is a North American ground squirrel in the genus Urocitellus. Like a number of other ground squirrels, they are sometimes called prairie dogs or gophers, though the latter name belongs more strictly to the pocket gophers of family Geomyidae, and the former to members of the genus Cynomys.

Taxonomy

This squirrel was named after the Scottish naturalist Sir John Richardson. North Dakota is nicknamed the Flickertail state after the squirrel. The nickname Dakrat is derived from "Dakota Rat" and is a commonly used name around Minot, North Dakota and on Minot Air Force Base.

Habitat Native to the short grass prairies, Richardson's ground squirrel is found mainly in the northern states of the United States, such as North Dakota and Montana, and in western Canada, including central and southern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, and southern Manitoba. The range of this animal expanded as forests were cleared to create farmland. They are not simply restricted to prairie; sometimes they adapt to suburban environments, causing them to be seen as pests because of the burrows they dig. It is not unusual to find squirrels digging tunnels under the sidewalks and patios of urban homes.

Description Typical adults are about 30 centimetres (12 in) long. Weights vary greatly with time of year and with location: at emergence from hibernation the squirrels weigh between 200 and 275 g (0.441–0.606 lb) for females and between 350 and 450 g (0.77–0.99 lb) for males. But by the time they hibernate again, their weight may have risen to nearly 750 grams (1.65 lb). Males are slightly larger and heavier than females on average. They are dark brown on the upper side and tan underneath. The tail is shorter and less bushy than in other ground squirrels, and the external ears are so short as to look more like holes in the animal's head. Behavior is more like that of a prairie dog than a typical ground squirrel. The tail is constantly trembling, so the animal is sometimes called the "flickertail". Males have an average life expectancy of three years, while females average four years. However, in captivity some individuals may live for five to seven years.

Behavior

Richardson's ground squirrels appear to live communally, but they organize their social structure around female kinship. A female Richardson's ground squirrel will tolerate the presence of closely related females, but are territorial towards other individuals. Individuals are territorial around their nest sites. The burrows of Richardson's ground squirrels are grouped closely together in colonies, and individuals give audible alarm calls when possible predators approach. Recent research has shown that in some cases, ultrasonic alarm calls are given, and are responded to by other members of the colony. Richardson's ground squirrels use two audible alarm calls, a high-pitched whistle and a 'chirp' call. The whistle is given in response to terrestrial predators, while the chirp is given in response to aerial predators such as hawks. Predators include hawks, owls, snakes, weasels, American badgers and coyotes.

Feeding These animals are omnivores, eating seeds, nuts, grains, grasses and insects (especially crickets, caterpillars and grasshoppers). They stuff their cheek pouches with seeds, which are stored in the burrow and likely eaten in spring. They are also reported to cannibalize ground squirrels killed by road traffic.

Hibernation Adult ground squirrels may hibernate as early as July, though in their first year, the young ground squirrels do not hibernate until September. The males emerge from hibernation in March, and establish territories before the females emerge a couple of weeks later. Abandoned burrows are sometimes taken over by other grassland species such as the burrowing owl.

Reproduction Female Richardson's ground squirrels produce one litter per year. Litter size averages six, and the maximum size recorded is 14. The young are born in April or May. Young ground squirrels remain underground in the burrow until they are approximately 30 days old, emerging from natal burrows late May to mid-June. At emergence, the young weigh 50 to 100 grams.

Relationship with humans

Because they will readily eat crop species, Richardson's ground squirrels are sometimes considered to be agricultural pests, although this is not their legal status in all jurisdictions. The government of Saskatchewan declared the animals pests in 2010, allowing local governments to employ gopher control measures. In areas with few natural predators, overpopulation and increasing density can drive ground squirrels to expand into suburban neighborhoods.

Control measures Farmers and ranchers have developed a variety of ways to exterminate ground squirrels besides trapping, shooting and poisoning. One process fills the burrows with a mixture of oxygen and propane, and then ignites the gas mixture. This kills the ground squirrels with a concussive force that also collapses the tunnel systems. Even if effective, ground squirrels from outside of the treated areas eventually spread back into the area. The Saskatoon Wildlife Federation sponsored a 12-week "gopher derby" in 2002, in an effort to reduce what it considered an overpopulation of the squirrels. Cash prizes were awarded for the most animals killed, with the animals' tails presented as proof of kill. The Canadian Humane Society described the contest as cruel and barbaric. Despite the criticism, the derby was repeated in 2003. By 2004, the ground squirrel population had dropped and the contest was cancelled. The Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, Alberta, Canada, has a large selection of stuffed ground squirrels of many varieties and colors.

Pet trade The Richardson's ground squirrel in recent years has become popular in the exotic pet trade.

References

External links

Xander.it - Spermophilus richardsonii (Richardson's ground squirrels) videos American Society of Mammalogists species account (pdf) "Information on keeping Richardson's ground squirrels as pets". CentralPets.com. Archived from the original on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2025-06-06. Dr. Gail Michener's site on Richardson's ground squirrel

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Richardson's ground squirrel

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Richardson's ground squirrel claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Richardson's ground squirrel before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Richardson's ground squirrel ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Richardson's ground squirrel

In research: Richardson's ground squirrel appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Richardson's ground squirrel in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Richardson's ground squirrel is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Agricultural pests, Fauna of the Plains-Midwest (United States), IUCN Red List least concern species, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Richardson's ground squirrel outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Richardson's ground squirrel in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Richardson's ground squirrel means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Richardson's ground squirrel out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Richardson's ground squirrel in simple terms?

Why does Richardson's ground squirrel matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Richardson's ground squirrel?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Richardson's ground squirrel.