Washington ground squirrel

The Washington ground squirrel (Urocitellus washingtoni) is a squirrel of the Pacific Northwest of the United States, found in the states of Washington and Oregon. It lives in sagebrush or grassland habitats in the Columbia River Basin and hibernates or estivates for seven to eight months each year. Adults breed shortly after emerging from hibernation in January or February, and juveniles leave the natal burrow in March and disperse to settle new areas. A radiotracking study found that most juvenile males dispersed in April, with a median dispersal distance of 880 metres, and that raptors and badgers were the main causes of mortality. The species is listed as endangered in Oregon and is a candidate for endangered species listing in the United States, and the IUCN now lists it as near threatened, having formerly listed it as vulnerable.