Olympic Chipmunk

Ken and Mary Campbell

An endemic Olympic chipmunk chews the leaves off of a twig.

Olympic Chipmunk - Tamias amoenus caurinus

Identification:
Olympic chipmunks are one of several endemic mammals on the Olympic Peninsula and are ey are found nowhere else in the world. These creatures are quite small, weighing less than a pound. They have white underbellies and brownish fur, with dark and light stripes running from their nose to their ears and down their backs.

Habitat:
Olympic chipmunks are forest inhabitants, most common in the park's subalpine zone where the forests blend into meadows. They are relatively abundant, and conspicuous, and more often heard than seen. Once spotted, they can be hard to track, darting under leaves and brush to hide.

Diet:
These creatures, like other chipmunks, forage the forest floor for seeds, nuts, berries, insects, and sometimes fungi during the winter. For such small creatures, they have large cheek pouches that can store quite a bit of food.

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