Distinguishing Features
This is one of the
smallest Canadian chipmunks. It has a brown forehead with three
dark brown stripes on the cheeks, the middle one running through
the eye. Between these are two white stripes running from nose to
ear. Five black stripes edged in brown traverse the back. The underparts
are white from chin to tail, the flanks are buffy. Average weight
of both sexes is about 40 grams.
Distribution
Columbia Basin:
the range of this subspecies may be restricted to the Akamina Pass
area, and the Kootenay National Park / Mt. Assiniboine Provincial
Park areas.
British Columbia:
This subspecies is believed to occur in the Akamina Pass area of
British Columbia on the basis of its presence in Waterton Lakes
National Park, which is immediately adjacent. Specimens have also
been collected from Kootenay National Park, Mt. Assiniboine Provincial
Park, and Tornado Pass.
Global: The Rocky
Mountains of northern Montana, extreme southwest Alberta and extreme
southeast British Columbia.
Habitat
The Least Chipmunk
is generally an inhabitant of the open country of subalpine parkland
and alpine tundra.
Threats
There are no known
threats to this subspecies or its high-elevation habitats, and therefore
populations are presumed to be stable. Because this subspecies occurs
in alpine and subalpine habitats, it would be vulnerable only to
high elevation developments such as mines and ski resorts.
Biology
Its food consists
primarily of berries and seeds, but invertebrates are also eaten.
Least Chipmunks hibernate from September to late April or May. One
litter of two to six (average is five) young is born each year,
usually in May (Cannings et al. 1999).
