Franklin's Ground Squirrel
Poliocitellus franklinii
Silhouette: Joseph Smit · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderRodentia (Rodents)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusPoliocitellus (Franklin's Ground Squirrels)
- SpeciesPoliocitellus franklinii (Franklin's Ground Squirrel)
About the Franklin's Ground Squirrel
Franklin's ground squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii) is a species of squirrel native to North America, and the only member of the genus Poliocitellus. Due to the destruction of prairie, the populations of Franklin's ground squirrel have dwindled, approaching levels of concern. Its decline in the eastern portion of its range is mostly attributed to habitat fragmentation.
Franklin's ground squirrel was first described by Joseph Sabine in 1822, who named it in honor of the British Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin. It was formerly placed in the large ground squirrel genus Spermophilus, in its own subgenus, Poliocitellus, but since DNA sequencing of the cytochrome b gene has shown Spermophilus to be paraphyletic it is now placed in its own genus. Franklin's ground squirrel is suggested to be sister to a clade containing not only the Mohave, round-tailed, spotted, and Perote ground squirrels (genus Xerospermophilus), but the prairie dogs as well. There are no commonly recognized subspecies.
Franklin's ground squirrel is a typically sized squirrel, with adults measuring from 36 to 41 cm (14 to 16 in) in total length, including the 11 to 15 cm (4.3 to 5.9... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Riding Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Riding Mountain National Park
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Woodchuck
Marmota monax
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
Least Chipmunk
Tamias minimus
Richardson's Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus richardsonii
Northern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys sabrinus
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
Southern Red-backed Vole
Myodes gapperi
Quiller
Erethizon dorsatus
Meadow Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Riding Mountain National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Franklin's Ground Squirrel sighting in Riding Mountain National Park, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Riding Mountain National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Riding Mountain National Park in our monthly data.