Squirrels inhabit Nevada, adapting to its varied landscapes. Despite its reputation for arid deserts, the state supports a surprising array of adaptable squirrel species. These rodents thrive across diverse environments, from high mountain ranges to open scrublands.
Diverse Squirrel Species in Nevada
Nevada hosts numerous squirrel species, categorized into tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and chipmunks. Tree squirrels, such as the Western Gray Squirrel, possess long, bushy tails and strong claws for climbing, primarily residing in arboreal environments. This species is silver-gray with white underparts, and its long tail assists with balance.
Ground squirrels are diverse in Nevada, generally smaller with shorter, less bushy tails than tree squirrels. Several species are found:
- California Ground Squirrel: Mottled brown and gray fur with a lighter underside and a white ring around its eyes.
- Belding’s Ground Squirrel: Medium-sized, stocky, with brownish-gray to reddish-brown fur and a relatively short tail.
- White-tailed Antelope Squirrel: Dark back with a single white stripe along its sides and a distinctive white underside to its tail, which it often holds over its back.
- Round-tailed Ground Squirrel: Small, sandy-tan desert species without stripes or spots.
- Merriam’s Ground Squirrel: Small and grey.
- Mojave Ground Squirrel: Elusive and a species of conservation concern.
Chipmunks are recognized by their striped faces and backs. The Least Chipmunk, the most widespread species, is small with variable body colors, often exhibiting reddish sides and gray hips. Palmer’s Chipmunk, unique to Nevada, displays distinct dark and light stripes on its face and back, with reddish-brown shoulders and sides. The Yellow-pine Chipmunk is brightly colored with prominent black and white stripes on its back and brown and white facial stripes. The Panamint Chipmunk is reddish-brown with striped patterns on its face and back.
Nevada’s Varied Habitats
Nevada’s diverse ecosystems provide suitable habitats for its array of squirrel species. The Western Gray Squirrel primarily inhabits coniferous forests and oak woodlands, particularly in the Sierra Nevada region, where mature trees offer nest cavities and food sources.
Ground squirrel species occupy a broader range of open environments. California Ground Squirrels thrive in developed areas, grasslands, and woodlands, including mountain elevations up to 2,000 meters in western Nevada, avoiding dense desert regions. Belding’s Ground Squirrels are typically found in higher altitude alpine and subalpine meadows, as well as sagebrush flats and cultivated fields in north and central Nevada. They prefer open areas that allow them to watch for predators.
The White-tailed Antelope Squirrel and Round-tailed Ground Squirrels are well-suited to the lower-elevation desert and scrubland habitats of southern Nevada, including the Mojave Desert region. These species often dig burrows under bushes and rocks to escape extreme heat, demonstrating adaptations to arid conditions. Merriam’s Ground Squirrel inhabits arid chaparral dominated by sagebrush in the extreme northwestern part of the state. The Mojave Ground Squirrel is specifically found in the western Mojave Desert, where its survival is linked to the unique plant life of that region.
Chipmunks also show habitat specificity within Nevada. Palmer’s Chipmunk is endemic to the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas, living at high elevations (2,100 to 3,600 meters) in forested zones such as pinyon-juniper and fir-pine communities. The widespread Least Chipmunk can be found in central and northern Nevada, adapting to diverse settings from low sagebrush deserts to high mountain coniferous forests and even alpine tundra. Yellow-pine Chipmunks prefer brush-covered areas, coniferous forests, and rocky outcrops in northern Nevada, typically at elevations between 975 and 2,900 meters. Panamint Chipmunks inhabit pinyon-juniper woodlands in the Spring Mountains along the Nevada-California border.