Least Chipmunk

Eutamias minimus

Least Chipmunk. Photo:Tom Brakefield

The least chipmunk is the smallest of the four species of chipmunks found in Canada. Despite its small size, the least chipmunk has the widest distribution of all of its kin. This small rodent has a range that encompasses Quebec through to southwestern NWT. In Canada the least chipmunk occupies a wide range of habitats, from alpine tundra and evergreen coniferous forest to sagebush plains. Despite its environmental adaptability, the least chipmunk can be found more readily in its characteristic boreal forest. The least chipmunk is diurnal and ceases all its activity at sundown, but can be seen during the day nervously gathering food on the ground and in shrubs. One study of a least chipmunk's food caches revealed some 478 acorns and over 2000 cherry pits.

Distribution of Least Chipmunk in Canada