Rock Squirrel
Otospermophilus variegatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderRodentia (Rosegadors)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusOtospermophilus (North American Rock Squirrels)
- SpeciesOtospermophilus variegatus (Rock Squirrel)
The rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States, including southern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and the panhandle of Oklahoma. In Texas, they can be found in the western, central and Panhandle regions. They are especially common in the Texas Hill Country, a Subregion in central Texas. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Squirrel sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 110 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park
Texas Antelope Squirrel
Ammospermophilus interpres
Spotted Ground Squirrel
Xerospermophilus spilosoma
Rio Grande Ground Squirrel
Ictidomys parvidens
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys merriami
Coypu
Myocastor coypus
Merriam's Pocket Mouse
Perognathus merriami
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
Eastern Desert Pocket Mouse
Chaetodipus eremicus
Yellow-nosed Cotton Rat
Sigmodon ochrognathus
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
Southern Plains Woodrat
Neotoma micropus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rock Squirrel in Big Bend National Park?
About 27% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Squirrel sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 110 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rock Squirrel in Big Bend National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Rock Squirrel in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.