Otospermophilus variegatus
Silhouette: Joseph Smit · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States, including southern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and the panhandle of Oklahoma.
In Texas, they can be found in the western, central and Panhandle regions. They are especially common in the Texas Hill Country, a Subregion in central Texas. Rock squirrels are one of the largest members of the family Scuridae, with adults measuring up to 21 inches (53 cm) in length. In front and on top, the squirrel's coat is a speckled grayish brown; on the rear and bottom, the gray becomes a more mottled brownish-black tone. They have a marked light-colored ring around their eyes and pointed ears that project well above their heads. Rock squirrels have a long, bushy tail with white edges.
The female rock squirrel has two litters a year, with three to nine young in each litter. The first litter is typically born from April to June, while the second is born in August or September. They are active in the early morning and late afternoons when the weather is warm; when very hot, they... Wikipedia →
Recording0:21
United States · 2025
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Recording1:42
United States · 2022
© barbstout · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
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United States · 2022
© ellen hildebrandt · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | León | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | Puebla | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | San Luis Potosí | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Guadalajara | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 6 | Ciudad Juárez | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 7 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 8 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Ecological Center of Sonora | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Parque Zoológico de León - Zooleón | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Guadalajara Zoo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | ABQ BioPark Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Safari Masai Mara | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 9 | Zoológico de Culiacán | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 11 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Squirrel sighting in Grand Canyon National Park on a given day, based on 1,287 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 18 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July to September
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Squirrel in Grand Canyon National Park on a given day, against about 50% in December, the lowest month.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rock 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 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Rock Squirrel sightings, Grand Canyon National Park ranks 2nd at about 80%. The best odds are in Zion National Park (United States, about 90%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Sciuridae
The closest relatives of the Rock Squirrel that you can see in Grand Canyon National Park (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Cliff Chipmunk (about 50%), Abert's Squirrel (about 30%) and White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rock Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Grand Canyon National Park (1,287 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
