Two of those species are endemic to Mexico. ![]() In western North America, where the remaining 23 species are found, chipmunks evolved and diversified. In the eastern two-thirds of the United States, there is also only one species, the Eastern chipmunk (see above). One species, the Siberian chipmunk, lives in Asia. © Ryan Hodnett / Wikimedia Commons The Chipmunk BasicsĬhipmunks are striped members of the squirrel family. Want to enjoy and spot these cute and overlooked mammals? This guide will get you started. You can easily add chipmunks to your iNaturalist sightings or mammal life list by touring national parks and being alert. ![]() Some of the best spots for finding them are around hiking trails and campsites. Many species can be observed at close distances. That is only apparent if you take time to actually seethe chipmunk.Ĭhipmunks have much to recommend them for wildlife watching. That has resulted in differing striped patterns, colorations and sizes. But in the western United States, chipmunks have evolved to thrive in widely varied habitats. Initially, identifying chipmunk species can be tricky (I’ll provide some pointers in a bit). To see them all, you would need to visit the high mountain grandeur of Glacier National Park (red-tailed chipmunk), the stunning canyons of Utah (Hopi chipmunk and others), the rainforests of Olympic (Towsend’s chipmunk) and the postcard-perfect valleys and mountains of Yosemite (eight species!). Still, chances are, you see them enough that you don’t pay them much attention.īut did you know there are 25 species of chipmunks, with 22 of them found in the United States? Seeing the 22 United States species might be one of the most fun and overlooked nature quests.ĭoubt it? Well, the best way to see those chipmunks is to visit the varied national parks of the western United States. ![]() You might have one living in your backyard or see them regularly scurrying across a hiking trail. Chipmunks are familiar creatures across the United States.
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