Which rodent is described as slender and rat-sized, about 10 inches long, with 13 stripes along its body, and burrowing that can damage foundations?

Which rodent is described as slender and rat-sized, about 10 inches long, with 13 stripes along its body, and burrowing that can damage foundations?

• A. 13-Lined Ground Squirrel
• B. Vole
• C. Chipmunk
• D. Pocket Gopher

Answer: (A)

The 13-lined ground squirrel best fits this description. Its slender, rat-sized body runs about 10 inches long, and it’s marked by 13 distinct stripes along the back, which is a distinctive pattern for this species. These squirrels are true burrowers, and those burrows can undermine foundations and cause structural damage around buildings. Voles are smaller and stockier with no long dorsal stripes, chipmunks have only a few stripes and a chunkier build, and pocket gophers are stout, cylindrical burrowers with no body stripes. So the combination of size, the 13-striped pattern, and burrowing behavior that can affect foundations points to the 13-lined ground squirrel.

The 13-lined ground squirrel best fits this description. Its slender, rat-sized body runs about 10 inches long, and it’s marked by 13 distinct stripes along the back, which is a distinctive pattern for this species. These squirrels are true burrowers, and those burrows can undermine foundations and cause structural damage around buildings. Voles are smaller and stockier with no long dorsal stripes, chipmunks have only a few stripes and a chunkier build, and pocket gophers are stout, cylindrical burrowers with no body stripes. So the combination of size, the 13-striped pattern, and burrowing behavior that can affect foundations points to the 13-lined ground squirrel.