Xerospermophilus spilosoma
Silhouette: Joseph Smit · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The spotted ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma) is a species of ground squirrel in the rodent family Sciuridae. It is found throughout Mexico and the central and western United States. Characterized by a white spotted back, the spotted ground squirrel is one of the smallest squirrels found in North America. They are mainly herbivorous, but also eat insects. A burrowing mammal, the spotted ground squirrel will make tunnels to store its food, as well as shelter and hibernation quarters.
The spotted ground squirrel is one of the smallest squirrels to inhabit the northern hemisphere. It has many white linear dorsal spots, as well as a white underbelly. Coloration of the rest of its body varies greatly and can be different shades of brown, black, gray and white. Its skull resembles that of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, but is slightly broader in the interorbital and rostral regions. A unique characteristic of the skull is the presence of especially large auditory bullae. X. spilosoma has two pelages and molts each year. Adults emerging from hibernation usually display thicker pelages, which are shed by the springtime. Juveniles tend to have darker pelages... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ciudad Juárez | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Torreón | 🇲🇽 México |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Ground Squirrel sighting in Torreón on a given day, based on 60 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and August
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Ground Squirrel in Torreón on a given day, against under 5% in December and January, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spotted Ground Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Spotted Ground Squirrel sightings, Torreón ranks 2nd at about 20%. The best odds are in Ciudad Juárez (México, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spotted Ground Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Torreón (60 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
