Spatial relationships and social organization of adult Richardson's ground squirrels

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Abstract
The spacing patterns among a group of adult Spermophilus richardsonii were studied in 1975 and 1976. Major features of the social structure were as follows: relatively uniform dispersion of the Squirrels, overlap of ranges with overlap reaching a maximum after weaning of young and before hibernation, and dominance within the core area (defined as the area in which a squirrel concentrated 50% of its aboveground time). Although there was greater proximity among kin than among nonkin, each adult maintained a separate core area. Adult males played no role in assisting females to rear young, and males were dominant to females only when within their own core areas. Throughout the active season the size of the core area remained relatively constant at about 225 m2 and the average distance between a squirrel and its nearest neighbor remained at about 20–25 m. The core area differed from the usual concept of a territory in that it was characterized by reduced submission rather than increased aggression by the resident toward intruders.