Males looking for new territory or to expand their range may engage in infanticide. Arctic ground squirrels have a polygynous mating system, where males aggressively defend territories with multiple females. Mating season begins in late April to early May, after squirrels emerge from hibernation. By the time they emerge from hibernation, arctic ground squirrels will have lost approximately 1/3 of their body weight, with females losing more weight than males. Between these states of torpor they arouse for 1-2 days to raise their body temperature back up to the mid 90os. Body temperatures drop from about 99 degrees F to as cold as 27 degrees F. During hibernation, they enter into a state of torpor, in which their metabolic rate and body temperatures drastically drop for up to 3 weeks at a time. Males emerge from hibernation about 3 weeks earlier than females in order to reach sexual maturation. Females begin hibernating in August, with males following over the next month. They prefer hibernacula covered by vegetation which keeps their dens warmer during winter. For about eight months of the year, arctic ground squirrels hibernate to cope with the harsh winter conditions. They sometimes den in soft sandy soils along the coast where they may drown in unusually high fall storm surges or easily be dug up for a grizzly’s meal.Īrctic ground squirrels live on average 8–10 years. They inhabit tundra, meadow, riverbank, and lakeshore habitats with loose soils that provide early vegetation. The arctic ground squirrel is the only species of ground squirrel in Alaska, where they can be found across northern, eastern, and southwestern Alaska at elevations ranging from sea level to well above mountain tree lines.
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