Poliocitellus

Poliocitellus is a monotypic genus of ground squirrel in the subfamily Xerinae, tribe Marmotini, of the squirrel family Sciuridae, whose sole member is Franklins ground squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii), a North American species. It is found from central Alberta to southern Manitoba in Canada, and in the United States from North Dakota and Minnesota as far south as northern Kansas and northwestern Indiana, inhabiting tallgrass prairies with dense vegetation, particularly along woodland or marsh boundaries. Its populations have declined significantly due to prairie destruction, with habitat fragmentation a primary driver of decline in the eastern part of its range. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.