Description: California Ground Squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) are large, day-active ground squirrels with a head and body of 9-11 inches, and a tail of 5-9 inches. The pelage is gray-brown overall speckled with light gray, and there is a broad white patch on the side of the neck and shoulders. The tail is sparsely haired, but bushy. There is some regional variation, with some populations being darker overall and with less obvious white on the shoulders.

Habitat: California Ground Squirrels are creatures of dry, rocky areas and brushy places. They can be pests in campgrounds, picnic areas, and farm country, and this species is the primary carrier of bubonic plague in California.

Taxonomy: Formerly Spermophilus beecheyi.

Where to Find: Don't look for California Ground Squirrels around Las Vegas; rather, look for them at middle and lower elevations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California (e.g., Yosemite National Park), and elsewhere in California and western Oregon (but not the deserts).

Comments: It is not uncommon to see these squirrels on a high point looking out for danger.

For more information, see the Animal Diversity Website.