Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels are familiar residents of open woodlands, brushy forest-edge habitats, dry margins of mountain meadows, and rocky slopes. They are quick to invade sunny, disturbed areas where pioneer plants provide good food resources. Learn more about the Spermophilus lateralis, more commonly known as a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, in this easy-to-read species overview by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.