Urocitellus parryii
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The Arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) (Inuktitut: ᓯᒃᓯᒃ, siksik) is a species of ground squirrel in the squirrel family Sciuridae that is native to the Arctic and Subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in North America and Asia. For some people in Alaska, particularly around the Aleutian Islands, the rodents are known as "parka" squirrels, likely due to their pelts being used for the ruff on parkas and other cold-weather clothing.
Lawrence Island ground squirrel Wikipedia →
Recording0:08
Canada · 2024
© Bruce Bennett · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:28
United States · 2019
© Mike Duran · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Recording0:08
United States · 2024
© campwebb12 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Kluane National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report an Arctic Ground Squirrel sighting in Kluane National Park on a given day, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 13 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June–July and September
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report an Arctic Ground Squirrel in Kluane National Park on a given day, against about 20% in March and October, the lowest months. January–February and November have too few records to rate.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Arctic Ground Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Arctic Ground Squirrel sightings, Kluane National Park ranks 2nd at about 60%. The best odds are in Denali National Park (United States, about 90%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Sciuridae
The closest relatives of the Arctic Ground Squirrel that you can see in Kluane National Park (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Least Chipmunk (about 50%) and American Red Squirrel (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Arctic Ground Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Kluane National Park (40 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.
