How many offspring do Richardsons ground squirrels produce?
Richardson’s ground squirrels are not sexually mature until after their first hibernation season, by which time they are nearly one year old. Each female can produce only one litter a year; if the litter is aborted during pregnancy or lost to predation during lactation, the mother cannot produce another litter until the subsequent year. About 75% of litters have 5, 6, 7, or 8 offspring. Under natural circumstances, over half of those offspring will fail to survive their first year of life. For further information, see Reproduction.
