Monday, January 27, 2014

Creature Feature #101: Chipmunk


This diminutive rodent makes her home in North America, with one species found in Asia. She follows an omnivorous diet, favouring seeds, nuts, roots and buds but also consuming insects, arthropods, small frogs and birds' eggs. In autumn she begins to collect non-perishable foods in preparation for winter. These are carried in cheek pouches and deposited into her burrow. The burrows are complex affairs, with several well-concealed entrances and a separate larder.  Here she remains for the long, cold months. Some species, like the eastern, hibernate for this period. Although extremely quick and alert while awake, chipmunks spend up to fifteen hours a day sleeping.

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