Cliff The (Begging) Chipmunk

Chipmunks are ground-dwelling rodents of the squirrel family. They're easily recognized by the light and dark stripes on the back and head. Cliff chipmunk fossils about 2,300 and 8,000 years old have been found in caves in Utah and Nevada. Natural food diet (of these furry critters) includes cactus fruit, bird eggs, grass seeds, insects, juniper berries and pinon nuts. I found this one staring me in the face at 7,500', as I was eating my Snickers bar. The scattered debris in the background are the remains of a Ponderosa pine cone, possibly mutilated by Cliff or his cousins. Woods Canyon Lake, Arizona August 20, 2009