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Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
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The Eastern Chipmunk (there are several species
in the West) belongs to the squirrel family (Sciuridae).
About 8 to 10 inches long (including the tail) and weighing 3 to
5 oz, the chipmunk has 2 white and 5 black stripes on its back as
well as 2 white and 2 brown stripes around the eye. It can sometimes
be observed climbing trees and the arbor, but the chipmunk spends
definitely most of its time on the ground. It feeds on nuts, berries,
seeds, but also insects (as a hapless worm who was passing by once,
clearly proved, much to its own detriment.) Its life span is about
3 years. The chipmunk lives in the woods but also at the edge of
the woods and around rural houses. It always digs its burrow near
an object or a construction (tree stump, stone wall) Unlike other
animals', e.g. woodchucks', there are no telltale dirt mound at
the entrance of its burrow, for the chipmunk scatters all excavated
material well outside.The main tunnel (2 to 3 inches in diameter)
may be as long as 45 ft, but is mostly about 15ft long, dug less
than 3 ft deep. There are subsidiary tunnels for nesting, food storage
and escape routes. At the beginning of winter, the chipmunk disappears
underground. It is not a true hibernation, but its activity is very
limited as the chipmunk mostly sleeps to wake up at times for eating.
It is not unusual, on a mild winter day, to see a chipmunk running
on the snow and particularly at the end of February during the mating
season.
The chipmunk's calls are high-pitched whistles but also deeper "chuck"
"chuck".
It is difficult to tell one chipmunk from the other. The tail alone
offers different characteristics: bushy, skinny, short, split in
two (!), straight, tapered etc.. for a better identification. Certain
coat color variations occur (more reddish or more golden), as well
as gray hairs (signs of age?) and more or less thick tufts of white
hairs behind the ears. Identification remains difficult at best.
What is usually not known is how easily a chipmunk will take to
humans. A few nuts, some patience will suffice to attract a first
chipmunk and later many more. The chipmunk will come when called,
feed from the hand. You can handle him, pick him up by the tail,
stroke him. The chipmunk, who seems to have no "sense" of body,
will not mind as long as it can continue to stuff its jowls with
food.
Vivacious, agile, high jumper, acrobatic, this small animal is a
marvel of charm and intelligence.
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Like all squirrels, the chipmunks is a storer. It is rare
to see one eating. Rather, the chipmunk will stuff its cheeks to later run to
its den and drop its food. This can be an endless shuttling as the chipmunk,
with a large supply of food, can easily pile up several pounds of food in a
short time.
The chipmunk is a solitary animal. The head-to-head meeting
of 2 chipmunks usually ends up in a relentless pursuit of the trespasser from
the territory. If one observes 2 or more chipmunks together, they are always
young ones out of the den for the first time and gathered together near the
entrance. A chipmunk has 2 litters a year of 2 to 5 babies: one in April-May,
another in August-September. Gestation lasts 31 days. The babies come out of
the den after 6 weeks and leave after 2 more weeks. The following pictures were
taken on a sunny afternoon in mid May 2003. A mother chipmunk had parked her
babies in a stone wall at about 60 ft from her den in the woods, while she went
about foraging (no doubt, the babies' first outing.) The babies were playing
and exploring all around while keeping very close to the wall. The mother would
come back at times, discipline a young one who might have strayed too much and
finally, spent some quality time with her brood. Nicknamed Mommy, she is tough,
vivacious and fearless and still occupies the same den and her corner of the
garden. Her tail, evenly bushy, ends in a small plume-like taper, which allows
for easy identification.
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White-tailed Deer(Odcoileus virginianus)
Frog
Gray squirrel(Sciurus carolinensis)
Woodchuck
(Marmota monax)
Other Animals Observed in the Garden
Black
Bear (Ursus americanus): Bears had disappeared
from Connecticut as early as the mid 19th century. However, the
regrowth of forests together with the abandonment of farms have
led to a renewal of the bear population in the state, particularly
in the North West corner. Their number is estimated at a few hundreds.
Red
Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Racoon
(Procyon lotor), Coyote
(Canis latrans), Cotton
Tail Rabbit (Sylvilagus transitionalis), Possum
(Didelphis virginiana), Skunk (Mephitis mephitis.)
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