Townsend's ground squirrel (Urocitellus townsendii) is a rare species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Washington in the United States.[1]
Distribution and habitat
Townsend's ground squirrel is found only in Washington in the United States. It occurs in the Yakima River Valley, west of the Yakima River, and in the Horse Heaven Hills to the south.[1][2]
Less than 10% of the native habitat of the Townsend's ground squirrel remains. Its native habitat was shrubsteppe, grasslands, and sagebrush at the edges of forest.[3] It now also occurs in habitats modified by humans, such as orchards, pastures, and abandoned fields.[4]
^Hafner, D.J., Yensen, E. and Kirkland, G.L., Jr. 1998. Status survey and conservation action plan - North American Rodents. IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland.
^Sato, C. 2012. Appendix A.5 Washington Connected Landscapes Project: Analysis of the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion. A.5-3-A.5-24.
^Lindsey, C., J. Wilde, and J. Nugent. 2012. Ground Squirrel Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2012. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management. HNF-53075. 15 pp.
