Hobbies And Interests
Color and Markings
Chipmunk coloration and marking evolved to suit their habitats. For example, the Merriam's chipmunk, which lives in dense shrubbery with heavy shadows, is gray with dull stripes. Likewise, the Alpine chipmunk, the smallest and palest, blends in with light-colored rocky slopes. Other species of chipmunks --- Eastern, Least, Yellow-pine, Lodgepole, Panamint --- forage on sunlit forest floor where twigs and leaves cast dark shadows. Their contrasting light and dark stripes add camouflage from predators. The Hopi chipmunks of eastern Utah have red stripes, matching the red soil of the region, with dull, sandy stripes. The gray fur of the Cliff chipmunk, found from western Utah to southwestern New Mexico, blends well on the silver-gray branches of the piñon pine and juniper bushes native to that region.
Habitat
Most chipmunks reside in underground burrows, sometimes up to 30 feet in length of interconnecting tunnels with multiple exits for a quick escape. Due to development and human expansion, chipmunks had to adapt in suburban areas and made their homes in gardens, flowerbeds and sheds. The Alpine chipmunk, living in higher elevations, takes advantage of rocky crevices where it makes its nests. The Siberian chipmunk, once found only in Asia, is now a favorite among pet owners. By escaping its confinement, the Siberian now has colonies in Belgium and even Ireland.
Diet
A chipmunk population fluctuates with the availability of food sources. Hopi and Colorado chipmunks eat mostly juniper and spruce seeds from cones found in higher elevations. Of course, the higher the population also means more competition for food and breeding, as well as more predators. All chipmunks are omnivores, which means they eat both animals and plants. Favored foods for all species are nuts, berries and seeds collected on the ground, but they will climb trees if needed. However, all chipmunks consume meat, including insects, snails, small birds and snakes. Known as social creatures, they occasionally take handouts from humans.
Life Cycle
Most chipmunks store food for the winter in the burrow where they go into a state of torpor, waking to eat from time to time, rather than full hibernation. The Alpine, however, puts on a layer of fat and hibernates all winter due to the cold weather. All chipmunks emerge in March, when mating occurs. A female delivers in May with an average of three to five babies. However, Eastern chipmunks are known to mate twice a year, in spring and again in late summer. The average lifespan for most wild chipmunks is three years.
Predators
Burrows provide shelter from most predators such as crows, coyotes, hawks, owls and bobcats, but leave chipmunks susceptible to weasels and snakes. Chipmunks adapted to life among humans, feeding on bulbs, seeds and vegetables in gardens, but this has led to them being considered pests, and killed. In addition, feral cats and dogs feed upon chipmunks in urban areas, where automobile traffic also poses a threat. Found only in Clark County, Nev., the Palmer's chipmunk is endangered because of Las Vegas tourism to the Spring Mountain range.