Franklin’s Ground Squirrels in Alberta

07/15/2026

🌼 Baby ground squirrel season is upon us! 🌼

Once juveniles Franklin’s are developed enough to venture on their own, they begin to emerge from their burrows. As this occurs, you might see what appears to be a baby Franklin’s venturing out on its own. However, a burrow and a parent likely aren’t too far away.

❗️With this in mind, it is important that we try not to disturb or move these babies to new areas, so they can find their way home!

The juvenile pictured was released unharmed in the location where it had been trapped. We have all permits and approvals required for this work.

07/15/2026

🐿️ Did you know the Franklin's ground squirrel isn't the only squirrel species with a citizen science project in Alberta?

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is another Alberta species that naturalists believe may be declining, but we need more data to better understand its population and distribution.

Help us learn more by adding your sightings to the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel Project on iNaturalist!

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/thirteen-lined-ground-squirrels

📸: Lu Carbyn

07/14/2026

🐿️ Takeover Tuesday 🐿️

This week, we’re highlighting an important community science initiative focused on the Franklin’s ground squirrel, a species that was once common in central Alberta but has become increasingly rare over time.

Led by Nature Alberta in collaboration with Macewan University, this project aims to gather more data to better understand whether this species is in decline and where it may still be found across Alberta.

You can help by keeping an eye out for Franklin’s ground squirrels and submitting your sightings through the iNaturalist app 📲🔎

📍 Learn more about the project through the Citizen Science Hub for Alberta (link in bio)

📸: Fran Witchell

07/14/2026

Another successful week in the field, including our first juvenile of the season! We were lucky to share this excitement with some enthusiastic guests from the Buffalo Lake Nature Club who came out to observe our work- thank you for joining us!

During the handling process pictured in this post, we are looking for ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks, that may be removed for sampling. We also assess physical condition at this time. After handling, the squirrels were released unharmed.

We have all the necessary permits and approvals required for this work.

06/30/2026

Hello! Welcome to the Squirrels of Alberta page, which is home to updates and information about the Franklin’s ground squirrel conservation project.

Due to the limited information we have on the species, the status of Franklin’s ground squirrels in Alberta is undetermined; however, there is concern that the species may be in decline. In collaboration with Nature Alberta and MacEwan University, this project aims to gather data that will increase our understanding of Franklin’s ground squirrel populations within the province.

You may see us surveying ground squirrels at Provincial Parks and other locations around the province this summer - feel free to say hi and ask about our work!

Check out the links in our bio for more information on the project!

We have all permits and approvals required for this work.

04/23/2026

Check out this webinar - we’re one of the presenters!

🕵️‍♂️Looking to get involved this spring/summer? Join the Alberta Citizen Science Community of Practice for a fun and fast paced webinar during Citizen Science Month where you can explore a range of ⚛ citizen science programs and find the right fit for you.

👉Learn more at https://naturealberta.ca/april-speed-dating-with-citizen-science/

08/11/2025

We really enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped by our booth in Pigeon lake this weekend and we appreciate the Pigeon Lake Watershed Alliance for inviting us to be a part of their event. If you missed the event, make sure you plan to check it out next year!

07/30/2025

Trail Camera Tuesday!

This series of pictures caught on the trail camera demonstrates why Franklin’s ground squirrels are considered semi-arboreal. They are the only ground squirrel species known to climb and, while they spend most of their time on the ground in shrubby or grassy areas, they can also climb trees to forage or escape predators!

07/25/2025

Last night, Dr. Jessica Haines took the spotlight in the 2025 Community Presentation Series with an engaging talk on Alberta’s ground squirrels, hosted by the Camrose Wildlife Stewardship Society!