The thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus), also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, and squinny (formerly known as the leopard-spermophile in the age of Audubon), is a species of hibernating ground squirrel that is widely distributed over grasslands and prairies of North America.

The Thirteen-lined ground squirrel lives throughout the central United States and Canada, from southern Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to east central Arizona, central Ohio and the Texas Gulf Coast and also straddling the Arizona-New Mexico border.

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel, or "thirteen liner," is the small gopher-like animal often seen along roads in all but northeastern Minnesota. It is one of the animals that has adapted to urban and agricultural development, and actually has expanded its range in Minnesota.

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is a small, slender ground squirrel with 13 alternating light and dark stripes running along the back and sides from head to rump. The light stripes are yellowish to white, and the dark ones are blackish to reddish brown, broken by a series of light spots.

The 13-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) is 1 of 40 species of ground squirrels in North America. They are largely a species of the Midwest and also are known as gophers, striped gophers, leopard ground squirrels, and squinneys.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels dig burrows that are 15 to 20 feet long and often have more than one entrance. Escape burrows are shorter and have only one entrance. The burrow entrances are inconspicuous, appearing only as small, 2-inch diameter holes in the ground.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels are diurnal, coming above ground when the sun is high and the temperature is above 80°F, and returning to the burrow long before sundown. They rarely venture out of the burrow on damp, dark, or overcast days.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels impact plant communities by eating seeds and foliage. They act as important prey bases for small predators, such as weasels, raptors, and snakes, and help to recycle soil nutrients through their burrowing activities.

2021年4月19日 · Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) Small squirrel with thirteen white lines on its back (hence the name) with white spots and a somewhat bushy tail. Length: Body- 6-11 in. Tail- 2-5 in. Weight: ¼ to ¾ lbs. Range: Much of central North America from northern Saskatchewan to Texas

The Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel occurs throughout much of the Rocky Mountains. Where one is seen, others are likely present. They are one of the most predacious ground squirrels in the Rockies.