Thirteen-lined ground squirrels favor short, well-drained grass in prairies, roadsides, cemeteries, pastures, and mowed parkland across North Dakota. Watch for a small striped animal sitting upright beside a burrow or dashing across a quiet road; Sheyenne National Grassland provides extensive native-grass habitat, but local green spaces can be equally productive.
The species is common in the record set, yet it is not truly observable year-round: it spends the cold months underground in hibernation. Reports peak from June through August, when adults and newly emerged young are active above ground.
Full species profile
