Perote ground squirrel

The Perote ground squirrel, Xerospermophilus perotensis, is a ground squirrel in the family Sciuridae that is found only in Mexico. It lives in the Oriental Basin between Puebla and Veracruz, where it digs burrows in alkaline grasslands, arid scrub and rocky hills. It is active from March to November and hibernates from December to February, and it lives alongside rock squirrels while using different microhabitats. Its closest relative is thought to be the spotted ground squirrel, from which it split between 1.2 and 3.3 million years ago. Farming, overgrazing and urban growth have cut its habitat to about 16 small localities, and the loss has lowered its genetic diversity. Seasonal species like this one may also be more affected by climate change, so it is considered at risk of extinction.