Eastern chipmunks are found in Southeastern Canada and the Northeastern U.S. south to Virginia and west to the east side of the Rocky Mountains.
They live in open deciduous forests (trees with leaves that fall each autumn). They also live in brushy areas, rock piles and around people’s homes.
Chipmunks have reddish-brown backs and white bellies. They have white stripes bordered by black stripes that run down their sides. They have white stripes above and below their eyes. They run with their tail’s up. They weigh about 3 ounces.
They live in burrows in the ground. Their burrows can be 25 feet long, with two exits and many chambers. They den up and sleep for most of the winter. But they are not true hibernators. They wake up and feed on stored food.
They eat seeds, fruits, nuts, and insects.
Predators that hunt them include owls, hawks, foxes, bobcats, racoons, weasels, and pet dogs and cats.
Females are pregnant for 1 month (gestation). They have 4-5 young. They have 2 litters per year.
They live up to 10-15 years in the wild. They are not threatened.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Sciuromorpha
Family: Sciuridae
Subfamily: Xerinae
Genus: Tamias
Species: Tamias striatus
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Amsel, Sheri. "Chipmunk (Eastern)" Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2024. March 25, 2024
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