Mojave Ground Squirrel

Della and I pulled over for a break. We got a bonus view of the Mojave Ground Squirrel, that exists only in this desert and is only active at most six months every year, from February to July. Near the end of July, the squirrels begin a period of low activity, called estivation. Estivation is a bit like hibernating, but happens during hot dry weather, rather than cold weather. The squirrels generally do not reproduce following winters with less than 80mm of precipitation. Local populations can be wiped out if a drought lasts for multiple years. They're consider threatened.Read more