Alpine Chipmunk
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| Alpine Chipmunk | ||||||||||||||
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| Tamias alpinus Merriam, 1893 |
The Alpine Chipmunk, or Tamias alpinus, is a species of chipmunk native to the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada of California[2]. They have been observed at altitudes from around 2,300 meters (7,500 ft)[3] to 3,900 meters (12,800 ft)[4], though they rarely occur below 2,500 meters (8,200 ft)[5].
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[edit] Physical Description
They have a brown forehead with three white stripes on their cheeks and five on their backs. They weigh around 40 grams.
[edit] Dietary Habits
The Alpine Chipmunk feed on the seeds of sedges, grasses, and pines. They generally eat their food on the ground. They do not generally require a source of water other than food, but will use it given the opportunity.
[edit] Nesting Habits
They nest in crevices between rocks, taking advantage of the micro-climatic conditions (i.e. higher temperatures) that exist there. Their young are born in June and July, in litters of 3-6.
[edit] Activity patterns
They are considered Diurnal, though they exhibit some nocturnal activity during the summer. They Hibernate from November through April, frequently awakening to eat.
[edit] References
- ^ * Rodent Specialist Group (1996). Tamias alpinus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 26 Jun 2007.
- ^ Hall, E.R. (1981). The Mammals of North America, 2nd edition, New York: John Wiley & Sons.
- ^ Johnson, D.H. (1943). Systematic review of the chipmunks (genus Eutamias) of California. University of California Publications in Zoology.
- ^ Swarth, H.S. (1919). Some Sierran chipmunks. Sierra Club Bulletin.
- ^ Grinnell, J.; T.I. Storer (1924). Animal life in the Yosemite: an account of the mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians of a cross-section of the Sierra Nevada. University of California Press.
