Description: Colorado Chipmunks (Neotamias quadrivittatus) are medium sized, reddish-orange chipmunks. The dorsal stripe and first lateral stripes are distinctly black, but the second lateral stripes are reddish-brown, and the light stripes are grayish. There is a large white patch behind the ears. The tail is long and reddish with white edges and a black tip.

Stripes on the face are distinct reddish and white, extending from in front of the eye to behind the ear. The head and body are about 5-inches long, and the tail is about 4 inches long.

Habitat: This species lives at middle and higher elevations in the mountains of the Four Corners Region: northeastern Arizona, eastern Utah, western Colorado, and northwestern New Mexico. They occur in a variety of habitats ranging from the Upper Sonoran (Desert Scrub) to the Alpine (Alpine Tundra) life zones. This species is more of a tree climber than other chipmunk species.

Where to Find: Don't look for Colorado Chipmunks around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them on trips to the Escalante country, Lake Powell, Mesa Verde, the Canyonlands region, and the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

Comments: Like other chipmunks, these little criminals like to steal your food, but they normally eat a variety of seeds, nuts, green vegetation, and insects.