A Little Lesson on Ground Squirrel Reproduction To better understand the pending ground squirrel boom, we need to talk about sex...ground squirrel reproduction that is. Their mating system is officially called: polygynandrous. That means they are promiscuous litter critters that mate with up to 4 others. If you were wondering why you haven't seen them on their dates, it's because they copulate underground. W hen ground squirrels emerge from hibernation the first thing on their mind is sex. Is it surprising that the males emerge a few weeks earlier than the females? They just can't wait. This is their big chance because the females only produce one litter per year. (I've heard from a few biologists that they sometimes mate again if they lose their litter, but I can't find that in writing.) In California, breeding season runs from December - April. The further south, the sooner the ground squirrels start breeding. After 25-30 days gestation, the female ha...
This blog is a place to share, learn and sometimes laugh about ground squirrels and prairie dogs. My days are spent talking about ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other burrowing rodents. I am also a Speaker at Seminars throughout California, educating people on IPM and organic methods of controlling their populations.