CHIPMUNK
Eutamias sp.
One of the most active and interesting of the smaller animals of the park. This genus is represented in the park by three species.
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are chiefly terrestrial in habit although they can and do frequently climb into low trees and bushes. The different species of Western Chipmunks vary greatly in their preferred habitat from sagebrush flats to heavily wooded areas. Each type of environment has its distinct type of chipmunk.
The color patterns of the chipmunks vary, each type having its own distinctive pattern; however, the group as a whole is distinguished from other squirrels by the stripes on both body and face. The smaller ground squirrels may have some stripes on the body but do not have striped faces.
Chipmunks are universal favorites with visitors. Lively, interesting, and full of curiosity, they are quite easily tamed and soon learn to frequent the picnic areas and campgrounds. Here they take their toll of food bits from each group of people, either eating it on the spot or carrying it away to store for future use.
Their food consists mainly of seeds, berries, nuts, buds, some insects and any food scraps they may chance to find around camps. Their winter stores are located close to their nest, in underground cavities.
The chipmunks are not active outside during the stormy periods of winter but since they do not become fat in the fall and use some of their food stores during the winter it is not thought that they go into a complete period of hibernation like some of the other animals. Exactly what they do and how they live in Yellowstone during the winter, however, remains yet to be determined.
Their nest is made underground as they burrow into the earth at the foot of a stump, log or rock. In this nest the litter of four to six young are born in the spring. It is not likely that they have more than one litter a year here in the north.