93: Chipmunks - by Bix
I write to you from Arapahoe, Ute, and Cheyenne land. I am interested in learning about the different animals that live in the place where I was born. Before we start with today’s animal, I want to emphasize that biological classification as understood by western society has its roots in racism, sexism, and transphobia – here’s a good explainer about why.
Colorado has four species of chipmunk: the Least Chipmunk (Eutamias minimus), the Colorado Chipmunk (Eutamius quadrivittatus), the Uinta Chipmunk (Eutamias umbrinus), and the Cliff Chipmunk (Eutamius dorsalis). The last one is only found in Colorado on the isolated Owiyukuts Plateau, in the extreme northwest of the state at the borders of Utah and Wyoming. The other three cover significantly more area – the Colorado and and Least mostly in the western part of the state, with the Colorado extending out into the southeastern part of the state and in a narrow line in the ecozone between peaks and plains that defines the eastern edge of the Front Range. The Uinta, meanwhile, lives in the north central part of the state, including in the areas around and in Rocky Mountain National Park. I see chipmunks all the time when hiking. Now I know that if I see them anywhere north of about Tabeguache Peak, they’re probably Uintas, whereas if I see them in the San Juans or Sangre de Cristos, they are probably the Colorado or Least. My dog, also a keen observer of chipmunks, does not seem too interested in knowing which species he’s planning to violently murder.
So what is a chipmunk, other than an adorable dog dinner? They’re related to squirrels, but are almost entirely North American, aside from the Siberian chipmunk. As such, their English name is probably derived from the Indigenous Odawa (Ottawa) word for a red squirrel, jidmoonh. They are active during the day and marked by upright tails, striped fur, and large pouched cheeks for stuffing full of food. Researchers counted one chipmunk stuffing 72 sunflower seeds into its pouches at once! They are omnivorous, eating seeds, nuts, berries, insects, larvae, and occasionally even small eggs. They do not hibernate, even though in Colorado they can live up to treeline, but they may spend prolonged periods during the winter inside their burrows, feasting on stored food.
The big Xmas present I received this year is an Ipad with an Apple pencil for drawing. Here’s the first thing I did with it. I’ve got a long way to go with learning how to properly draw/color fur digitally!
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