**Description:** A large, ground-dwelling member of the squirrel family with a stout body, short legs, and coarse, grizzled-brown fur.
**Size & Weight:** 16–26 inches long. Weigh 4–13 lbs.
**Sexual Dimorphism:** Males are generally larger than females.
**Life Cycle:** "True hibernators"—their heart rate drops from 80 to 5 beats per minute during winter.
**Habitat:** Meadows and forest clearings; they dig extensive burrow systems that provide habitat for many other species.
**Behavior:** Excellent swimmers and climbers; they gain significant weight in fall to survive months of underground dormancy.