The San Joaquin antelope squirrel, also called Nelson's antelope squirrel, Ammospermophilus nelsoni, is an antelope squirrel endemic to the San Joaquin Valley of California. Heavy agricultural cultivation of the valley and rodenticide use have shrunk its range and numbers, and it is now listed as a threatened species, with most remaining animals in the Carrizo Plain. It lives in small underground family colonies on sandy, easily excavated grasslands in San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties, using abandoned kangaroo rat burrows. It is dull yellowish-brown with a white belly and a white streak down each side, about 25 centimetres long. It is omnivorous, taking green vegetation from December to mid-April and mostly insects for the rest of the year. It breeds once a year, bearing most young in March, and is short-lived. The binomial honours the naturalist Edward William Nelson.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) ThreatsAgriculture and Aquaculture 1 Living or Extinct Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source GBIF: GBIF Backbone species match: Ammospermophilus nelsoni
In Biome
Source San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
in the San Joaquin Valley of the U.S. state of California
Sources
1. San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Wikipedia)
Distribution and habitat
Since the San Joaquin Valley fell under heavy agricultural cultivation, habitat loss combined with rodenticide use has reduced the squirrels numbers
Distribution and habitat, population trend
has reduced the squirrels numbers
Diet
It is omnivorous
Distribution and habitat, living or extinct
The San Joaquin antelope squirrel is found in the San Joaquin Valley
Distribution and habitat, system
live in small underground familial colonies on sandy, easily excavated grasslands
Lead
in the San Joaquin Valley of the U.S. state of California
View the SourceGBIF: GBIF Backbone species match: Ammospermophilus nelsoni
GBIFChild Taxon Of: Sciuridae, Species match, familyQuote, Child Taxon Of: Sciuridae, Species match, family
"family": "Sciuridae"
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