Waiting for the snow to melt…
Golden-mantled ground squirrels (GMGS) at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) spend the majority of the year, from October to May, hibernating in order to save energy during the winter seasons in Gothic, Colorado. Once the winter season is over, the squirrels emerge from their burrows and spend spring and summer foraging in preparation for next winter. Foraging behavior is highly important during these months since food only starts to become available when snow melts, stimulating green vegetation growth. However, vegetation quality may depend on weather conditions: drier years may decrease vegetation quality, while wetter years may increase vegetation quality. Though behavioral flexibility is one of the most common modes of response across most mammal species, there is a lack of knowledge on how acute climate stress changes animals’ foraging behavior. Behavioral flexibility is the ability of having diverse behavioral traits, which is important for species to adapt to any changes and survive in their environment. In conclusion, small mammals such as the golden-mantled ground squirrel, must constantly balance foraging and avoiding factors that increase mortality, including disadvantageous weather conditions. They can modify foraging patterns and overall daily activity when the weather changes (Stokes, 2001). Foraging activity was greatly affected by precipitation and temperatures in the month of July. With hotter temperatures more common in the future, I expect this effect to cause a negative shift in the pups foraging behavior, causing them to have to adapt in new ways. Key Words: Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel, Temperature, Precipitation, Behavioral Flexibility, Dry/Wet Years
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