Description: A squirrel 9.1 to 11.8 inches long with a tail 2.6 to 4.3 inches long. Weighs 2.3 to 4.5 ounces. It has tawny stripes from whiskers to below the ear; buff cheeks and eye rings; five dark brown to black stripes, separated by four buff lines from shoulder to rump; reddish hips and rump; buff flanks and forefeet; white underparts. Openings in sides of mouth lead to pouches for carrying food; each pouch is almost as large as head when totally filled (Forsyth 1999).
 
 

                                                              (Photo from Mammals of North America: Temperate and Arctic Regions by Adrian Forsyth)
 

Geographic Range:  Ranges from New England west to central U.S.and in southeastern Canada (Forsyth 1999).
 

Habitat Requirements:  Most often found in deciduous forest with cover and brush, but will inhabit more open areas if the earth is porous enough for tunneling (Forsyth 1999).
 

Distribution on the Preserve: Most likely distributed patchily on the reserve in correlation with brush piles, treefalls, and exposed root systems where they make their burrows.
 

Status on the Preserve: Although only one chipmunk was sighted by the censusing group throughout the course of the project (resulting in a calculated density of 1.27 individuals per hectare), many were sighted by others working at the preserve. The abundance of brush piles and burrows at the bases of trees would seem to indicate a stable chipmunk population and that they are probably reproducing on the property.
 

Literature Cited:

Forsyth, Adrian. Mammals of North America: Temperate and Arctic Regions. Firefly Books Ltd. Buffalo, NY. 1999. Pp. 89-90.

Contributors: Lindsay Beckner, Jacob Cain, Jason Koedyker

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