Intriguing Chipmunk Facts- Candian Wildlife Education Series

Chipmunks are lively, speedy and the smallest member of the squirrel family. There are more than 25 species of chipmunks. All but the Asian Tamaias sibiricus can be found in North America. They can be found ranging from Canada to Mexico. Chipmunks in the wild have a lifespan of 2-3 years. They are known for their high pitched repetitive chirp like sound, usually made when they sense a threat. This sound is also believed to be used by females to attract a mate.

Known for their lively antics, bulging cheeks, glossy black eyes and stripes, chipmunks touch the hearts of many. They are commonly seen busily scurrying through the undergrowth of forests and shrubby underbrush areas, gathering food from the ground. They use these undergrowth, logs and rocks to hide from their many predators. Predators include fox, weasel, coyote, hawks, eagles and snakes. Depending on the species many chipmunks are reddish brown in color with bold stripes down their back and tail. The Eastern Chipmunk is one of North America’s largest chipmunks, weighing up to 4.4 oz. with a length of 11 inches.

Some chipmunks’ homes consist of deeply dug tunnels with numerous chambers, while others inhabit and nest in bushes, logs and trees. Chipmunks’ diet consists of nuts, berries, seeds and grains. Stuffing food into their cheeks pouches enables them to carry food to their burrows, where they store it for later consumption. These food caches are essential to winter survival as chipmunks do not store body fat to get them through their winter hibernation. In winter months they slowly eat food they have stored during warmer summer months when food is most plentiful.

Chipmunks are generally solitary mammals with mating season as the exception. The gestation period is 30 days. Litters consist of 2-8 young who remain with their parents for 2 months. After 2 months the young leave their parents and begin gathering their own food for the winter ahead.

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