An Eastern chipmunk snacking by Jim Hudgins/USFWS

Where are they from?

There are 24 species of chipmunk throughout North America, ranging from Mexico to Canada. The eastern chipmunk lives in the eastern United States and is the largest species. The rest must be pretty small!

What do they eat?

Chipmunks are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and plants. They mostly eat things such as seeds, oats, nuts, and berries, but also small insects, amphibians, and bird eggs.

How do they act?

When foraging for food, chipmunks will use their cheek pouches to carry food to store them in burrows for later and for winter. Chipmunks were once thought to not be true hibernators, but new studies indicate that they are, although they will still emerge on warmer winter days.

Are they endangered?

Eastern chipmunks are listed as “Least Concern” on the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Mammal Moment

Chipmunks are important seed dispensers. They will find and eat seeds in one area, then travel to another area and leave the seeds behind in their waste!

What if you could hold food in your cheeks like a chipmunk?



Sources: https://www.britannica.com/animal/chipmunk