358 Urocitellus elegansdistribution: This species is found in parts of southeast-
ern Oregon, Nevada, and southcentral Idaho; eastern Idaho
to southwestern Montana; and northeastern Utah to south-
ern Wyoming, central Colorado, and southwestern Ne-
braska (USA). The distribution of U. elegans, however, con-
sists of three disjunct geographic ranges: one for each of the
three subspecies.
geographic variation: Three subspecies, formerly
grouped under U. richardsonii, are recognized.
U. e. elegans—southern half of Wyoming into northern and
western Colorado, but also into southwestern Nebraska,
northeastern Utah, and southeastern Idaho (USA). See
description above. This is the smallest and darkest form,
with a relatively small hindfoot.
U. e. aureus—central Idaho to southwestern Montana (USA).
The underparts and the ventral surface of the tail are
ochraceous buff. The general color is lighter than that of
U. e. elegans.
U. e. nevadensis—originally located in one contiguous area of
northeastern Nevada, southeastern Oregon, and south-
western Idaho (USA). It may now be extinct in Oregon;
it is represented by only one population in Idaho and just
a few others in Nevada. The upperparts have less brown
and more gray, and the underparts are darker buff.
conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population
trend—no information.
habitat: The Wyoming ground squirrel is generally found
in upland grasslands and sagebrush (Artemisia) meadows,
usually in montane regions. U. e. elegans, for example, typi-
cally occurs at elevations from 1500 m to above timberline. In
many areas of Montana and Idaho, however, U. e. aureus is
found at lower elevations, possibly because of competitive
exclusion by U. armatus. When possible, Wyoming ground
squirrels usually select sites with well-drained soils and/or
talus slopes, where the construction of burrows is possible.
natural history: The diet of U. elegans consists predomi-
nantly of grasses and forbs, but it varies considerably with
availability and can even include carrion and insects (espe-
cially grasshoppers [orthopterans]). Estimates of adult en-
ergy budgets average 35.5 kcal/day, with approximately 24
percent expended aboveground and the balance assumed to
be used belowground. Individuals spend approximately 21
hours per day in the burrow during the nonhibernating sea-
son, probably to reduce t he heat load during t he hot ter par ts
of the day. Home range estimates for males average between
0.2 and 0.4 ha, depending on the method of calculation.
Densities have been reported to be as low as 0.2/ha and as
high as 48/ha. Evidence of competitive interactions with
other ground squirrels suggests that in parts of its range, U.
elegans may be excluded from its preferred habitat by U. ar-
matus, and that elsewhere U. elegans may exclude Callosper-
mophilus lateralis. U. elegans may also interact with other spe-
cies (Ochotona princeps [pikas] and Marmota fl aviventris),
aff ecting the latitudinal distribution of these species. Win-
ter survival is reported to vary from about 55 to 100 percent
for all individuals; it diff ers between males and females and
tends to be lower for juveniles. Survival has been noted to
be lower in summer, ranging between 31 and 75 percent in
two studies, with juveniles again showing the lowest rates
of survival. Observed sex ratios, especially of juveniles,
vary considerably through the summer, both because of dif-
ferences in arousal times and the timing of reentry into hi-
bernation, and because of male-biased dispersal.Urocitellus elegans. Photo courtesy Sean P. Maher.