# Rock Squirrel

*Otospermophilus variegatus*

Unlike most ground squirrels, they are proficient climbers and are frequently spotted scaling vertical rock faces or high tree branches.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Sciuridae › Otospermophilus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** desert
- **Habitat:** Arid rocky canyons, talus slopes, and cliff sides with sparse vegetation.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous: primarily seeds, nuts, and berries, supplemented by insects and occasionally small vertebrates.
- **Range:** Southwestern United States, Mexico
- **Size:** 43 to 54 cm in total length, including the bushy tail.
- **Lifespan:** 3 to 5 years in the wild.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Natural predation by raptors and snakes, habitat fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict in urban fringes.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless but defensive; do not approach or attempt to feed. They may bite if cornered and are known carriers of fleas that can transmit plague. Maintain a safe distance of at least 10 feet. If bitten, wash the wound immediately with soap and water and seek medical evaluation.

## About

The rock squirrel ( Otospermophilus variegatus ) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae and is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/99d65601-5908-4a24-bce1-9ecec389eea8
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/180008
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otospermophilus variegatus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/9950249/medium.jpg (Kristof & Yulia, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.