Mammal

Columbian ground squirrel

Urocitellus columbianus
Mammal
Columbian ground squirrel
Habitat
Camp Chopunnish
Conservation
Secure
First Observed
1806-05-14

This Rocky Mountain ground squirrel forms colonies in sage or grass openings. Day active, defending nests from others.

Recent sightings

Where it’s being seen today

2 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2021–2025. Most recent: 2025-06-23. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.

Journal References

15 journal entries mention Columbian ground squirrel

Sep 14 1803
Meriwether Lewis: September 14, 1803
...eral riffles and lay all night on the N. W. shore. saw many squirrels this day swiming the river from N. W. to S. E. caught several by means of my dog.Source: Lewis’s...
Sep 16 1803
Meriwether Lewis: September 16, 1803
...boat through this long riffle I went on shore and shot some squirrels; my men were very much fatigued with this days labour however I continued untill nearly dark when ...
Sep 7 1804
John Ordway: September 7, 1804
...esembles them nearly except the tail which is like a Ground Squirrel, they will Stand on their hind feet & look &. C. we Camped on the South Side near the Steeple of th...
Mar 31 1805
Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — Patrick Gass: March 31, 1805
...t colour. Yester- “day: “onélof the men caught a small squirrel, like a ground squirrel, but of a more dun colour, and more — - spotted. We finished the boat thi...
Jul 8 1805
Great Falls Portage — Patrick Gass: July 8, 1805
... of a light colour. Yesterday one of the men caught a small squirrel, like a ground squirrel, but of a more dun colour, and more spotted. We finished the boat this even...
Sep 1 1805
North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Patrick Gass: September 1, 1805
...HE forenoon we killed some pheasants and ducks, and a small squirrel. In the afternoon we had a good deal of rain, and the worst road (if road it can be called) that wa...
Sep 2 1805
North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Patrick Gass: September 2, 1805
...HE forenoon we killed some pheasants and ducks, and a small squirrel. In the afternoon we had a good deal of rain, and the worst road (if road it can be called) that wa...
Oct 21 1805
Columbia River near Wallula Gap — Patrick Gass: October 21, 1805
...e saw among them some small robes made of the skins of grey squirrels, some racoon skins, and acorns, which are signs of a timbered coun- try not far distant. Having pr...
Oct 26 1805
Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage — Patrick Gass: October 26, 1805
...the falls. Some hunters went out and killed 6 deer and some squirrels. In the after- noon about 20 of the natives came to our camp (among whom were the head chiefs of t...
Oct 27 1805
Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage — Patrick Gass: October 27, 1805
... evening our hunters came in and had killed 4 deer and some squirrels. The wind blew hard all this day.
Nov 18 1805
Patrick Gass: November 18, 1805
...In the evening our hunters came in with a deer, 2 brants, a squirrel, a hawk, and a flounder, which the tide had thrown on a sand-bar. The Indians still remained with u...
Dec 21 1805
Building and occupying Fort Clatsop — Patrick Gass: December 21, 1805
...e saw among them some small robes made of the skins of grey squirrels, some racoon skins, and acorns, which are signs of a timbered coun- try not far distant. Having pr...
Dec 27 1805
Fort Clatsop, salt works established — Patrick Gass: December 27, 1805
... evening our hunters came in and had killed 4 deer and some squirrels. The wind blew hard all this day.
Apr 16 1806
Columbia near The Dalles, trading for horses — Patrick Gass: April 16, 1806
...in the evening and had killed two deer, some ducks and four squirrels, three of a beautiful speckled kind, and as large as a common grey squirrel, but the tail not so b...
Jun 12 1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 12, 1806
...d by the natives. There is no game of any other kind except squirrels and some other small animals. The squirrels are about the size of our common grey squirrels, and v...

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