Ammospermophilus harrisii
Silhouette: Joseph Smit · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
Harris's antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and in Sonora in Mexico. They are adapted to hot weather conditions including a technique called "heat dumping". They have a wide-ranging diet, including both vegetation, insects, small rodents and carrion.
The species is named after Edward Harris. Examples of A. harrisii have distinctive markings on their grey fur, with brown highlights on the sides and legs and a white strip down the side of the torso and encircling their eyes. Their fur grows longer in the winter than it does in the summer. Adults weigh around 4–5 ounces (110–140 g), and measure 8.5–10 inches (22–25 cm) minus their tail, which measures 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm). They can be mistaken for chipmunks.
A. harrisii has a high body temperature of 97-107 degrees Fahrenheit (36.7 - 41.6 °C) In order to protect itself from the heat of the Sonoran Desert, A. harrisii carries their tails over their bodies in order to provide shade. A. harrisii also participates in a heat reduction method where individuals move into shaded positions... Wikipedia →
Recording0:11
United States · 2022
© rockycairn · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:03
United States · 2025
© luz_azul · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:09
United States · 2022
© gvbox · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skansen | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 2 | Bronx Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Baltic Sea Science Center | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Harris' Antelope Squirrel sighting in Saguaro National Park on a given day, based on 298 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 24 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November to May
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Harris' Antelope Squirrel in Saguaro National Park on a given day, against about 30% in June to October, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Harris' Antelope 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.
Only Saguaro National Park, in our data
Saguaro National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Harris' Antelope Squirrel sightings: about 40% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Sciuridae
The closest relatives of the Harris' Antelope Squirrel that you can see in Saguaro National Park (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Rock Squirrel (about 40%) and Round-tailed Ground Squirrel (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Harris' Antelope Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Saguaro National Park (298 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.
