Ziċá (ze-CHA)
Squirrels
Squirrels of all kind scatter across tree tops and the grasses of Ina Maka.
Ziċáḣota
Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Gray Squirrels are all around the city. They are well adapted to living in our neighborhoods and are the most common squirrel species you are bound to encounter.
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Color: Gray to light Brown, white underneath
Length: 10 inches
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Lifespan: 2-5 years in wild
Speed: 20 MPH
Ziċá
Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Red Squirrels are smaller than their Gray Squirrel relatives but share some overlap in territories. The Red Squirrel can be more aggressive and has a noticeable alarm call in the woods.
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Color: Reddish Orange to Gray
Length: 9 inches
Weight: 9 ounces
Lifespan: 2-5 years in wild
Speed: 14 MPH
Eastern Fox Squirrel
(Sciurus niger)
The Fox Squirrel is similar to the Gray Squirrel but larger. They are the largest member of the tree squirrel family and have a tail resembling a fox. They hunt the grounds for food and can have a range of 50 acres.
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Color: Gray with Orange undertone
Length: 15 inches
Weight: 2.25 lb.
Lifespan: 2-5 years in wild
Speed: 20 MPH
Hetkála
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias minimus)
Chipmunks are in the same family as the squirrel species so they are included in this section. Chipmunks spend most of their lives on the ground hunting for their next meal and storing it for winter hibernation. They look and share the same habitat as the thirteen-lined ground squirrel which are often mistaken as chipmunks.
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Color: Gray, Brown, White
Length: 8 inches
Weight: 5 ounces
Lifespan: 2-4 years in wild
Speed: 21 MPH
Taṡnáheca
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus)
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is often seen running around the grounds of Ina Maka. They will stand up on 2 feet to get a higher vantage point and disappear in one of their many hidden entrances they dig. They hibernate in winter but are common throughout the rest of the year. They get along and share habitats with other squirrel relatives.
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Color: Tan, Brown with 13 total stripes and lines on back
Length: 8 inches
Weight: 9 ounces
Lifespan: 1-3 years in wild
Speed: 8 MPH