How big does a Columbian ground squirrel get? Here is an overview over the average adult age:
A grown Columbian ground squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus) reaches an average size of 29.6 cm (1′ 0″).
When born, they have an average size of 0 cm (0′ 0″). A full-grown exemplary reaches roughly 471 grams (1.04 lbs). On birth they have a weight of 9 grams (0.02 lbs). Talking about reproduction, Columbian ground squirrels have 3 babies about 1 times per year. The Columbian ground squirrel (genus: Spermophilus) is a member of the family Sciuridae.
As a reference: Humans reach an average body size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) while carrying 62 kg (137 lbs). A human woman is pregnant for 280 days (40 weeks) and on average become 75 years old.
The Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus) is a species of rodent common in certain regions of Canada and the northwestern United States. It is the second largest member of the genus Urocitellus, which is part of the tribe Marmotini, along with marmots, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and other holarctic ground squirrels. They are stout, with short dense fur, which is characteristically tawny across the bridge of the nose. Social encounters often are initiated with kissing behavior and the most common activity above ground is standing at attention. Residing in mountainous terrain and high plains in northern latitudes, they hibernate most of the year in burrows, which may be used for many years. They are emaciated when emerging in the spring. These long periods of torpor earned the squirrels the moniker “Seven Sleepers”, since the rests last around seven months. The Columbian ground squirrel came to the attention of the scientific community through writings produced by Lewis and Clark, while 21st century molecular genetics has more finely illuminated its ties with other close relatives.
Animals of the same family as a Columbian ground squirrel
We found other animals of the Sciuridae family:
- Grey-bellied squirrel with a size of 21.1 cm (0′ 9″)
- Gray-collared chipmunk with a size of 12.8 cm (0′ 6″)
- Deppe’s squirrel with a size of 20 cm (0′ 8″)
- American red squirrel with a size of 18.8 cm (0′ 8″)
- Palawan flying squirrel with a size of 22 cm (0′ 9″)
- Orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel with 3 babies per litter
- Long-eared chipmunk with a size of 14 cm (0′ 6″)
- Black-striped squirrel with a size of 20.3 cm (0′ 8″)
- Asian red-cheeked squirrel with a size of 20.3 cm (0′ 8″)
- Western gray squirrel with a size of 29.4 cm (1′ 0″)
Animals with the same size as a Columbian ground squirrel
Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as Columbian ground squirrel:
- Buffy-headed marmoset with a size of 24 cm (0′ 10″)
- Northern sportive lemur with a size of 28 cm (1′ 0″)
- Great Key Island giant rat with a size of 27.5 cm (0′ 11″)
- Northern glider with a size of 25.5 cm (0′ 11″)
- Common kusimanse with a size of 33.9 cm (1′ 2″)
- Black dwarf porcupine with a size of 35 cm (1′ 2″)
- Moonrat with a size of 32.7 cm (1′ 1″)
- Tailless tenrec with a size of 32.7 cm (1′ 1″)
- European hedgehog with a size of 23.7 cm (0′ 10″)
- Small-toothed sportive lemur with a size of 32.4 cm (1′ 1″)
Animals with the same litter size as a Columbian ground squirrel
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (3) as a Columbian ground squirrel:
- Hairy-footed gerbil
- Allen’s wood mouse
- Southwestern water vole
- Texas pocket gopher
- Abrothrix longipilis
- Crab-eating fox
- Djoongari
- Stella wood mouse
- Broad-striped dasyure
- Palmer’s chipmunk
Animals with the same weight as a Columbian ground squirrel
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Spermophilus columbianus:
- Gray four-eyed opossum bringing 426 grams to the scale
- Japen rat bringing 380 grams to the scale
- Volcano rabbit bringing 465 grams to the scale
- Silky tuco-tuco bringing 400 grams to the scale
- Merriam’s pocket gopher bringing 420 grams to the scale
- Slender mongoose bringing 530 grams to the scale
- Southern Amazon red squirrel bringing 403 grams to the scale
- Hispid pocket gopher bringing 499 grams to the scale
- European ground squirrel bringing 396 grams to the scale
- Azara’s tuco-tuco bringing 400 grams to the scale