Cyril Ruoso / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) foraging on cactus fruit, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) eating, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) on cactus, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) on cactus, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) on cactus, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Cyril Ruoso / Tien Shan Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus relictus) eating grasses, Kyrgyzstan

Inaki Relanzon / Rock squirrel (Otospermophilus / Spermophilus variegatus) standing on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA, June 2012.

Igor Shpilenok / Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) digging into a ground squirrel hole. Kronotsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East, August.

Igor Shpilenok / Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) digging into a ground squirrel hole. Kronotsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East, August.

Igor Shpilenok / Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) with ground squirrel prey. Kronotsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East, August.

Richard Du Toit / Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) using tail for shade, Cape Province, South Africa

George Sanker / American Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) with Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) prey. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA, June.

George Sanker / American Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) with Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) prey. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA, June.

Ben Lascelles / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) yawning. Hatcher Pass, Alaska, USA.

Ben Lascelles / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) in snow. Hatcher Pass, Alaska, USA.

Ben Lascelles / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) on snow. Hatcher Pass, Alaska, USA.

David Pike / Uinta ground squirrel (Spermophilus armatus) calling. Springcreek Ranch, Jackson, Wyoming, USA.

David Pike / Uinta ground squirrel (Spermophilus armatus). Springcreek Ranch, Jackson, Wyoming, USA.

Sumio Harada / Columbian Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus) carrying nesting materials, Glacier National Park, Montana

Ingo Arndt / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) hibernating in burrow, Fairbanks, Alaska

Ingo Arndt / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) hibernating in burrow, Fairbanks, Alaska

David Pattyn / Cape ground squirrel (Xerus inauris) digging to put cool sand on back, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, November (one of the hottest months in the Kalahari desert)

Vladimir Medvedev / Arctic / Parry's ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii, Magadan oblast, Far East Russia, May

Vladimir Medvedev / Arctic / Parry's ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii, Magadan oblast, Far East Russia, May

Vladimir Medvedev / Arctic / Parry's ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii, Magadan oblast, Far East Russia, May

Tom Vezo / Round-tailed Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus), Arizona

Tom Vezo / Round-tailed Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus) in burrow, Arizona

Tom Vezo / Round-tailed Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus) young feeding, Arizona

Tom Vezo / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii), Arizona

Tom Vezo / Harris' Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) feeding, Arizona

Konrad Wothe / Spotted souslik / Speckled ground squirrel (Spermophilus suslicus) standing alert, Bulgaria, May

Todd Mintz / Snowy owl (Bubo scandiaca) hunting on the Canadian prairie looking at a Richardson's ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii) Saskatchewan, Canada, March

Kevin Schafer / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) stretching, Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

Kevin Schafer / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) emerging from burrow, Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

Kevin Schafer / Nelson's Antelope-squirrel(Ammospermophilus nelsoni), Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

Kevin Schafer / Nelson's Antelope-squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni), Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

Kevin Schafer / Nelson's Antelope-squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni) feeding, Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

Ann & Steve Toon / Cape ground squirrel (Xerus inauris) feeding on Devil's thorn flowers, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, January

George Sanker / Coyote (Canis latrans) swallowing Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) prey, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming, USA

Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) on frosty ground in urban park. Glasgow, Scotland, December.

Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) on icy ground. Glasgow, Scotland, December.

Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) on frosty ground in urban park. Glasgow, Scotland, December.

Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) on frosty ground. Glasgow, Scotland, December.

Daniel Heuclin / Haris' / Yuma antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisi) feeding, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA, June

Daniel Heuclin / Western Mojave ground squirrel (Otospermophilus / Spermophilus / Citellus beecheyi parvulus) on rocks, Joshua's Tree NP, California, USA, June

Mary McDonald / African Ground Squirrel (Xerus sp.) foraging in sand while using its tail to shade itself. Samburu Game Reserve, Kenya, East Africa.

Charlie Summers / Rock Squirrel (Otospermophilus / Spermophilus variegatus) foraging for seed pods from a Prickly Pear Cactus. Grand Canyon, Colorado, September.

Charlie Summers / Rock Squirrel (Otospermophilus / Spermophilus variegatus) feeding on seed pod from a Prickly Pear Cactus. Grand Canyon, Colorado, September.

Charlie Summers / Rock Squirrel (Otospermophilus / Spermophilus variegatus) feeding on seed pod from a Prickly Pear Cactus. Grand Canyon, Colorado, September.

Donald M. Jones / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) standing guard, Denali National Park, Alaska

Donald M. Jones / Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii), Denali National Park, Alaska

ZSSD / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) being released as part of relocation project to build nest burrows for burrowing owls, California

Pete Oxford / Long-tailed Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus undulatus) on lookout, Mongolia

Charlie Summers / Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) female bringing Ground squirrel prey to five chicks in nest in cliff, Colorado, USA

Robin Chittenden / European souslik or Ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) Dobrogea, Romania, May

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) walking across sand. Kalahari, Botswana, November.

Richard Du Toit / Cape ground squirrel babies (Xerus inauris), Kalahari, South Africa, January

Richard Du Toit / Cape ground squirrel, mother and babies (Xerus inauris) Kalahari, South Africa, January

Richard Du Toit / Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris) feeding on flowering plants, Kalahari, Northern Cape, South Africa, January

LYNN M. STONE / California Ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) sits on a lichen covered rock, Monterey Peninsula, California, USA

George Sanker / Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis) feeding on a blade of grass. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, May.

George Sanker / Courting Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus / Spermophilus lateralis) on rocks. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, May.

Michael Quinton / Arctic Ground Squirrel (spermophilus parryii) hanging from rock, Yukon, Canada

Michael Quinton / Arctic Ground Squirrel (spermophilus parryii), Yukon, Canada

Michael Quinton / Arctic Ground Squirrel (spermophilus parryii) standing on hind legs, Yukon, Canada

Michael Quinton / Arctic Ground Squirrel (spermophilus parryii) melanistic dark coloring, Alaska

Rolf Nussbaumer / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus) adult standing. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA, April.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus) adult eating berries. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA, April.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus), adult standing. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA, April.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus), adult standing. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus), adult drinking. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA, April.

Charlie Summers / Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) female bringing in a Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus), for her five chicks. Elbert, Colorado, USA, February.

Charlie Summers / Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) with Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) for her five chicks. Colorado, USA, February.

Richard Du Toit / Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) young nursing, Kalahari, Northern Cape, South Africa

David Welling / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus) female foraging for berries. Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, June.

David Welling / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus) female foraging for berries. Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, June.

David Welling / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus) by water. Rio Grande Valley, Texas USA, June.

David Welling / Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus) female feeding on berries. Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, June.

David Welling / Portrait of a Mexican Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus). Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, June.

LYNN M. STONE / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) sitting on rocks in front of the ocean. Pacific shore, Monterey Peninsula, California, USA, February.

LYNN M. STONE / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) sitting on a lichen-covered rock. Monterey Peninsula, California, USA, February.

LYNN M. STONE / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) on rocks. Pacific Shore, Monterey Peninsula, California, USA, February.

LYNN M. STONE / California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) on rocks. Pacific Shore, Monterey Peninsula, California, USA, February.

Tui De Roy / Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus) using tail to shade itself, Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

John Cancalosi / Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) feeding, with cheek pouches full of food. . Montana, USA, Oct 2010

John Cancalosi / Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) feeding, with cheek pouches full of food. . Montana, USA, Oct 2010

John Cancalosi / Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) on a log.. Montana, USA, Oct 2010

John Cancalosi / Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) preparing to jump. Montana, USA, Oct 2010

Konrad Wothe / Speckled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus suslicus) feeding, Bulgaria

Konrad Wothe / Speckled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus suslicus) standing guard, Bulgaria

Suzi Eszterhas / Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) portrait sitting upright and alert, Elk Island National Park, Canada

Suzi Eszterhas / Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) portrait sitting upright, groming, Elk Island National Park, Canada

Suzi Eszterhas / Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) portrait sitting upright, groming, Elk Island National Park, Canada

Suzi Eszterhas / Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) portrait sitting upright, Elk Island National Park, Canada

Suzi Eszterhas / Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) portrait sitting upright, Elk Island National Park, Canada

Suzi Eszterhas / Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) feeding on grassland, Elk Island National Park, Canada *Digitally removed blade of grass in foreground