Eastern chipmunk
The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is a small, omnivorous rodent found primarily in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Characterized by its light brown fur and distinctive black and white stripes along its back, the eastern chipmunk typically measures about 10 inches in length and weighs between 2.3 and 5.3 ounces. Known for their remarkable ability to carry up to nine nuts at once in their cheek pouches, these chipmunks gather food during the fall to sustain themselves through winter. Their diet includes a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and even small insects or birds, highlighting their adaptability to different food sources.
Eastern chipmunks are solitary creatures that build extensive underground burrows, which can exceed 30 feet in length, providing shelter and storage for food. During the breeding seasons, which occur twice a year, females give birth to litters of two to five young, who become independent after several weeks. Although they primarily live alone, eastern chipmunks can often be found in parks and areas close to human habitation, where they forage for food on the forest floor. Their role in the ecosystem is significant, as they also contribute to seed dispersal, aiding in forest regeneration. In the wild, eastern chipmunks have a lifespan of two to three years, while those in captivity may live longer, up to eight years.
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Eastern chipmunk
The eastern chipmunk can carry up to nine nuts in its cheek pouches. In the fall, eastern chipmunks collect nuts to store and eat during the long winter.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Tamias
Species: Striatus
Eastern chipmunks have light brown coats with black and white stripes running down their backs. Their tails are made of long tan and black hairs. They have short heads, small pointed ears, and whiskers. Their whiskers help them find their way around. Their cheeks are pouches and carry nuts and seeds. Eastern chipmunks have a head and body length of around 10 inches (255 millimeters). They usually weigh between 2 1/3 and 5 1/3 ounces (66 to 150 grams).
The eastern chipmunk lives in woodland, shrub areas, pine forests, and stony ground of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. They are willing to live near humans and are sometimes found in parks. They are good climbers but spend most of their time looking for food on the forest floor.
Eastern chipmunks are omnivorous rodents, which means they eat meat and vegetation. They usually eat seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, slugs, insects, spiders, bird' eggs, small young birds, and sometimes mice and snakes. They have been known to carry up to nine nuts in their mouth at once, carrying four in each pouch and one between their teeth. In one day, a chipmunk may collect up to 165 acorns.
Eastern chipmunks live alone most of the year. They build nests underground, beneath rocks, fallen logs or sheds. They continue to develop their burrows of underground tunnels and chambers throughout their lives. Some burrows are over 30 feet (9 meters) long. During the winter, the eastern chipmunk eats from the food stored in the fall. Some of the seeds they collect are left in the ground. These grow into more trees that produce more nuts and seeds for future chipmunks. They also build short burrows and emergency exits in their burrows to help protect them when danger approaches.
The two breeding seasons of eastern chipmunks occur from February to April and June to August. The gestation period (duration of pregnancy) is 35 days. The females then give birth to a litter of two to five young. The young chipmunks are independent after six to eight weeks.
Eastern chipmunks have a life span of two to three years in the wild and five to eight years in captivity.
Bibliography
"Eastern Chipmunk." A-Z Animals, 4 May 2023, a-z-animals.com/animals/eastern-chipmunk. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.
Kroll, Michelle. "Tamias Striatus." Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Tamias‗striatus. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.