Tamias canipes
gray-footed chipmunk

Gray-footed chipmunks, Tamias canipes, are found in the Sacramento, White, Gallinas, Jicarilla, Captain, and Guadalupe mountains of southeastern New Mexico. They also occur in Texas in the Guadalupe and Sierra Diablo mountains in the trans-Pecos region. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Hafner, 1995; Naturserve, 2005)

Tamias canipes is mainly a terrestrial, forest-dwelling chipmunk found in coniferous forests, dense mixed oak/pine/fir forests, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and brushy hillsides with rocky crevices. These chimpmunks prefer areas with an abundance of oaks, pines, and firs, where fallen trees and rocks crevices provide a place for nesting and hiding from predators. Nests are usually formed in cavities of downed timber and even underground among the roots of decaying tree stumps.

The species is found mostly at elevations of 1600 m to 3600 m, but will descend to lower zones such as the lava flows of the Carrizozo Malpais in the Tularosa Valley of New Mexico. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Naturserve, 2005; Smithsonian Institution, 1993)

The distinguishing character of T. canipes is the gray coloring on the dorsal surface of the hind feet, hence the origin of its common name-- gray-footed chipmunk. This small chipmunk is grayish in color overall, with four whitish stripes and five brownish stripes on the lateral sides of the head, as well as 2 white and 3 brown stripes on each side of the animal. The shoulders, nape of the neck, rump, and thighs often have a wash of smoke gray color. There are dorsal stripes of black or brown, but there are also lighter stripes, with the inner stripes being smoke gray and the outer stripes being grayish-white. The tail color is black dorsally and reddish brown underneath. The ventral portion of the pelage is creamy white. Winter pelage is similar to summer pelage, except with more gray color dorsally and paler on the sides.

There is geographical variation in T. canipes, with some populations being bigger in size or darker in color than other populations in different mountain ranges. Within the species, weights are commonly between 65 and 75 g. For the Sacramento Mountain populations, total length varies between 227 and 264 mm. Tail length comprises 91 to 108 mm of the total length. The hind foot length averages 34.6 mm, with individuals ranging between 34.0 and 36.0 mm. In the Texas Guadalupe Mountains and New Mexico White Mountains, individuals tend to be smaller. Total length ranges between 210 and 250 mm, with tails measuring 92 to 115 mm. Hind foot length is smaller in these populations as well, measuring 32 to 35 mm.

As is the case in many chipmunks, females are larger than males. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

The dental formula is 1-0-2-3/ 1-0-1-3 for a total of 22 teeth. (Schmidly, 1994)

Because they hibernate, these animals are heterothermic. Body temperature decreases during the winter months while an individual is torpid. However, body temperature remains relatively constant during this period. In the summer, when the animals are active, body temperature is higher. Again, the temperature remains constant. This constant body temperature, varying seasonally, makes these animals both heterothermic and homoiothermic endotherms. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

Adult size of T. canipes is reached by late summer/early autumn, which leaves little time for the year’s offspring to store food before winter weather approaches. This may contribute to high mortality of young each year. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992)

Although data for T. canipes are not available, other species of chipmunk are not known to reach highly advanced ages. In captivity, some chipmunks may live as long as 10 years. Maximum lifespan in the wild is probably shorter, reaching about 8 years. Limits to longevity in T. canipes are probably similar. (Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

These diurnal mammals are most active shortly after sunrise. It is at this time that they do most of their foraging and feeding. Tamias canipes is primarily terrestrial, making its home in thick brush and rock crevices. Although they generally retreat underground when threatened, they are known to sometimes climb trees. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

These animals hibernate (or at least remain underground) during the cold weather. Unlike many hibernating mammals, they do not put on large stores of fat, and so must rely on food they have cached throughout the year to sustain them during the winter months. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992)

Although data are lacking for this species, most chipmunks are somewhat sedentary and territorial. It is likely that these animals fit the pattern so common in their genus. (Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

Home Range

The size of T. canipes home ranges has not been reported. However, few species of chipmunks have ranges that excede one hectare in size. (Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

Gray-footed chipmunks make chipping sounds, described as a light “chipper” or a lower “chuck-chuck-chuck”. When they sense danger they are quiet. However, they also have an alarm call, much like a shrill version of the “chipper” sound, due to the closer intervals of the vocalization peaks. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Smithsonian Institution, 1993; Texas Tech University, 1997)

In addition to vocalizations, we can assume that these chipmunks are like other members of their genus, in that they also communicate with visual signals such as tail and body position. They are also likely to use tactile communication while rearing their young and mating. The role of chemical communication in these animals has not been investigated. (Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

Diet varies and includes gooseberries and juniper berries, various acorns, seeds of the Douglas fir, currants, mushrooms, green vegetation, and insects. For the most part, acorns compose a significant portion of their diet, especially in the late summer and autumn. They hibernate, but usually do not gain extra weight. Instead, they subsist on cached supplies of acorns and other seeds. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Wilson and Ruff, 1999)

Gray-footed chipmunks are a common prey item for the carnivores of their forest habitat, including raptors like northern goshawks and other raptors. When aware of danger T. canipes hides in crevices or burrows, and pelage coloration helps themblend in with surrounding brush. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Texas Tech University, 1997)

Scattered acorn shells are the most common mark of feeding grounds, and cheek pouches often contain one large or several small acorns. Other wild seeds are also gathered, eaten, and stored. Tamias canipes's habit of gathering and storing seeds helps the progress of planting for many of the trees in their habitats. Tamias canipes serves as prey for carnivores. Chipmunks are also hosts to coccidian parasites Eimeria cohisensis and Eimeris dorsalis. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992)

There is no reported negative impact of these animals on humans. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992)

Very little gray-footed chipmunk habitat is located in areas where humans reside, so there seems to be little positive or negative effect on human populations. Humans may receive an indirect benefit from these animals, in that their food caching behavior helps forests to regenerate. Humans do benefit from trees and other potential products of healthy forests. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992)

Tamias canipes is listed by the IUCN Red list as LR/nt (lower risk/near threatened). The species has a patchy distribution, but there is nothing to suggest any immediate threat to its survival. The populations of T. canipes located in Texas occur in protected regions, whereas the populations in New Mexico and Sacramento mountains are not afforded any protection. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992; Naturserve, 2005; Smithsonian Institution, 1993)

The genus name Tamias is Greek word meaning "a storer or distributor." The specific epithet canipes is derived from the Latin cantitia, which means gray in color and pes meaning foot. (Best, Bartig, and Burt, 1992)