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Franklin's ground squirrel

Franklin's Ground Squirrel
Scientific classification

Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Rodentia
Family:Sciuridae
Genus:Spermophilus
Species:franklinii
Binomial name
Spermophilus franklinii
Franklin's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii) is a species native to tallgrass American prairie, from Canada to the northcentral United States. The species hibernates from early fall to spring, and bears a litter of 6-8 pups at this time. The species is not choosy in its diet, eschewing the typical herbivorous diet of most squirrels when it can find insects, eggs, young birds, and fruits, seeds, and nuts when they are available.

Due to the destruction of prairie, the populations of Franklin's ground squirrel have dwindled, approaching levels of concern. However, the species is prolific, and locally abundant.