Least Chipmunk in Idaho

Neotamias minimus

Native to Idaho S5 Secure in Idaho

Not listed as nonindigenous in Idaho by USGS NAS; native to its Idaho range.

IUCN Red List status

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Photo: John D Reynolds · CC BY 4.0Least Chipmunk in natural habitatPhoto: Daughter Dad · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk moving through low grassPhoto: Syd Cannings · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk foraging in green groundcoverPhoto: Daughter Dad · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk among dry leavesPhoto: Pete Schwartz · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk at the edge of open cover

Least Chipmunk (Neotamias minimus) — Photo: John D Reynolds · CC BY 4.0Least Chipmunk in natural habitatPhoto: Daughter Dad · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk moving through low grassPhoto: Syd Cannings · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk foraging in green groundcoverPhoto: Daughter Dad · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk among dry leavesPhoto: Pete Schwartz · CC BY 4.0Least chipmunk at the edge of open cover

Least Chipmunk in Idaho, by the numbers

Common in Idaho 28th most recorded of 123 mammals logged in Idaho

178 occurrence records

178 with iNaturalist photos

Records from 2000–2026.

178 total records count every Idaho occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the map plots a georeferenced sample of 173; the monthly chart covers the 173 records with a full observation date.

When to look for the Least Chipmunk in Idaho

Most sightings fall in June to September.

173 Idaho occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence.

Monthly Idaho records (table)

Month	Records
January	0
February	1
March	1
April	6
May	15
June	23
July	38
August	38
September	27
October	22
November	2
December	0

Monthly least chipmunk occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Idaho, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Idaho, with recorded sightings peaking in June–September.

Occurrence map

Where Least Chipmunk has been recorded in Idaho

173 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

172 Idaho records mapped

Notable places to look

Park, forest, or monument	iNaturalist records
Craters of the Moon National Monument	8
City of Rocks National Reserve	7
Boise National Forest	4
Portneuf Wildlife Management Area	2
Caribou National Forest	2
Sawtooth Wilderness	1
Craters Of The Moon National Monument	1
Market Lake Wildlife Management Area	1

Protected places with the most least chipmunk sightings, from the USGS Protected Areas Database plus named mountain ranges, good spots to look, not a full breakdown, so they don't sum to the total.

Where it's recorded in Idaho

County	Records
Bannock County	45
Fremont County	24
Custer County	17
Cassia County	15
Butte County	12
Blaine County	12
Boise County	8
Caribou County	6
Bonneville County	5
Power County	4
Bear Lake County	3
Bonner County	3
12 other counties	24

The complete county distribution, spread across 24 Idaho counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Least chipmunks are the smallest chipmunk species in North America and among the most adaptable, turning up from the lava fields of Craters of the Moon National Monument to the granite of City of Rocks National Reserve, a wider habitat range than most of Idaho’s other chipmunk species tolerate.

Records climb sharply to a July and August peak of 38 a month, against a single February record and none at all in December or January, tracking the heart of the active season when this day-active forager is out gathering seeds before winter hibernation. Every one of Idaho’s 178 records since 2000 is an iNaturalist observation, with Bannock County leading at 45, and NatureServe rates the species secure (S5) statewide.

Occurrence data from iNaturalist and GBIF.

Full species profile Least Chipmunk Neotamias minimus Size 10–11 cm3.9–4.3 in Weight 41–47 g1.4–1.7 oz Lifespan Up to 10 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Idaho in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries
USGS Protected Areas Databasepublic domainthe named parks, forests, and refuges behind "notable places to look"