Behavior of Spermophilus lateralis between Periods of Hibernation

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Abstract
A study of the behavior of golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus (= Citellus) lateralis, during the period of activity between periods of winter-pattern hibernation revealed the following: (1) the average duration of the period of activity of 134 male and 170 female ground squirrels exhibiting the winter pattern of hibernating behavior was 11.0 and 10.3 hours (h), respectively; (2) continuous visual observations of behavior during 15 periods of activity revealed that the following approximate percentages of the period of activity were devoted to five patterns of behavior—hibernation posturing, 93.4 percent; bedding arrangement, 3.7 percent; grooming, 1.8 percent; exploratory behavior, 0.9 percent; feeding, 0.2 percent. No consistent pattern of behavior that could be correlated with the first activity upon arousal from hibernation or the last activity prior to induction was detected. Behavior pertaining to elimination or to the obtaining of food or water was not considered significant. None of the behavior observed suggested a functional relationship regarding the physiological causation for arousal from a period of hiberation.

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