slgwv's photos with the keyword: 9055

One of a host of ground squirrels hanging around the upper tram station (where the bar and grill also are!) on Mt. Howard, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon. They are used to tourist handouts, as is obvious from their plumpness, and are disconcertingly tame. Most seem to be California ground squirrels ( Otospermophilus beecheyi ), based on the white-spotted gray coat, but there are also some golden-mantled ground squirrels ( Callospermophilus lateralis ), which are often confused with chipmunks due to their similar markings. The insets show some other views.