General: Round-tailed Ground Squirrels (Xerospermophilus tereticaudus) are small, day-active ground squirrels with a head and body of 5-6 inches and a narrow, round (not bushy) tail of 3-4 inches. The short pelage is sandy-tan overall with brown-orange highlights on the head and back. There are no stripes, spots, or other marks on the pelage. The ear is small, and the eye is big and black. When alarmed, these squirrels whistle to warn their neighbors of impending danger.

Around Las Vegas, compare this species with the much more common White-tailed Antelope Squirrel.

Round-tailed Ground Squirrels are creatures of sandy desert areas that occur from southern Nevada to western Arizona, eastern California, and northern Mexico. Look for them in sandy areas in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) Life Zones.

Taxonomy: formerly Spermophilus tereticaudus.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for Round-tailed Ground Squirrels on the sandy south side of Boulder City (near Veteran's Memorial Park and the Airport). There is also a colony at the Wetlands Park in Henderson and Floyd Lamb Park in NW Las Vegas, and I have seen them as far north as the Overton Wildlife Management Area, but in general, look for this species in the deserts of Arizona and California. Listen for their whistle, which will reveal their presence and may give away their location.

For more information, see the Animal Diversity Website.