Published May 1981. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The two species of ground squirrels that may cause severe damage to livestock forage, field crops, ditches, and dams in eastern and central Oregon are the Belding’s (Spermophilus beldingi) and Columbian (S. columbianus) ground squirrels.
Much of the Columbia River Basin has been cultivated for agriculture, which has reduced and fragmented the native shrub-steppe habitats. As a result, the range of the Washington ground squirrel (Spermophilus washingtoni) has been significantly reduced, prompting the states of Washington and Oregon to review their status. Consequently, I investigated...